identically opposite
by Fireshine
Summary: Bella has a twin; Keira, and they both have their sights set one one man; Edward Cullen. who will he choose? one who is distant and mysterious or one that seems to be desperate for him?
1. Chapter 1

Hi, this is my second fanfic, im still writing my first (alternative new moon ending) but i wanted to get this up ASAP oh by the way, although this is set in forks, which is in America, im English so i have based the school on mine so if the school seems unrealistic then i apologize.

but other than that: **disclaimer - **i don't own twilight!! if i did i wouldn't be writing this!

and now, enjoy!

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**Chapter 1 – first impressions**

"Hey!" I complained when Keira pushed me out of the way, sending me sprawling out all over the bed, so she could stand in front of the mirror and colour her eyelids in purpley-black and to smear all sorts of various other face products over her skin. Her face was now more make up than actual skin, she might as well make a mask that she could take off every day and put back on in the morning, it would be a lot less hassle than the routine she currently went through every morning.

"I didn't know the I've–just–been–punched–in–the–face look was back," I retorted sarcastically.

"It's Smoky eyes," she corrected, you could even hear the capital "S".

"Smoky eyes?"

"It adds a bit of mystery," she defended herself.

"Mystery? Keira, we live in _Forks,_ everyone already knows who you are, they've known you since practically form birth, mind you, they might not be able to recognise you buried under there," I waved my hand in front of her face, "hey, you are still alive in there aren't you... hello...?"

She slapped my hand away and continued increasing the thickness of her eyelids from a millimetre to a metre. I sighed and raked my fingers through my still wet hair, It was all I could be bothered to do with my awkward hair at that moment. Once I decided my hair was acceptable enough for school, I went downstairs to get some cereal.

I sat perched on the edge of the hard, wooden seat with my legs pulled up in front of me and one hand was absently fiddling with the tattered hem of my jeans. I looked over my empty bowl and stared out the window, savouring the momentary quiet.

Keira came thumping down the stairs, on the phone but also frantically looking for something. I sighed and went to put my bowl in the sink, it was bad enough that she had her phone in her hand.

"Bella, have you washed my red top?" she demanded.

I thought about it, I recalled that I had put it into the washing machine, but I don't think it had got further than that, "erm... I think its in the washing machine."

"Ugh! Just _perfect!_" she stomped upstairs after throwing her phone at me, I managed to dodge it and picked it up off the counter. She was being way to liberal with throwing her phone lately, she was trying to break it so she had a valid excuse for getting a new one.

I shook my head, it was beyond me how she could wear that top to school, I would feel so... naked. Though now I thought about it, there was that family from Alaska starting school today, a family with – dun dun dunn – _boys!_ That meant that Keira was going to be in flirt overdrive today at school, she just couldn't miss a chance to increase her popularity, sometimes – well most of the time really – I was amazed we were twins.

Me and my sister were almost complete opposites, I had limp brunette hair and her hair was bouncy and artificially blonde – had our dad even noticed that she'd dyed her hair? I was pathetically pale and she was nut brown (although that was probably more to do with the extortionate amounts of self tan she applied to her skin every night rather than genetics) I was shy and liked the quiet and she was the most popular person in school, in fact I was mostly referred to as Keira's sister. That got annoying but I was way past caring by now.

I checked my phone, I had plenty of time before I needed to drag Keira out to my truck, aka Keira's personal taxi. I went upstairs and brushed my teeth, I looked in the mirror and saw the same purple bruise I had spotted yesterday, probably from catching Lottie awkwardly in gym. Keira had suggested covering it up with make up – why was make up her answer to everything? well, that or a mini skirt and a low cut blouse – but I had none and I knew better than to ask to borrow hers.

It was 7:30, I grabbed my keys from the bottom of my bag and marched determinedly up the stairs calling "Keira, we need to leave for school now!"

I looked in our bedroom, and sighed. She would be in the bathroom, with the door locked. I sighed again, I was immune to the irritation this used to be, just like I was over the fact that most of my clothes were from the charity shop, and that I was the one doing all the housework for everyone, and the washing really does mount up. I never felt like Cinderella though, I was never forced to do anything by a wicked stepmother, it was just that dad was always away and I was the only one mature enough to do what needed doing around the house.

I knocked on the door, "go away I'm not ready!" she shouted in reply.

"The new people are starting school _today,_ and you are going to miss making your famous first impression on them," I warned.

"Okay, okay I'm coming, sheesh, get a grip."

I could hear the plastic clattering of her many make up brushes being hurriedly piled back into her make up bag. I knew she was coming so I went downstairs and got the truck ready and all warmed up for her majesty's arrival.

It was a warm day for Forks, the truck was warm in no time. I cast my eyes to the sky, it looked good, I wasn't expecting blue skies, and I didn't get any, but the permanent cloud that hovered over Forks was a light grey today, it was spread very thin making the day bright but the light was still diffused somewhat. It would be dry.

Finally Keira arrived and I drove us to school. It was a quiet ride, Keira was making some last minute adjustments to her appearance and I was concentrating on driving. I made the customary drop off just out of sight of the school gates, after all, she couldn't be seen arriving in a rusted Chevrolet that was old enough to belong to a museum. Keira went to get into the shiny black Audi that was parked in front of us. I had asked her one day why they don't just pick her up from the house but she said they didn't want to waste money on the extra petrol.

I drove round and parked in one of the few remaining places left in the car park. I had English first and that was around the back of the school, so I set off knowing I wouldn't see my friends until break, then I had biology with Angela.

I settled into my seat in the back of the class and waited for the teacher to decide there were enough people here so that the lesson was actually worth starting. A small crowd of people ambled through the door and then the lesson started.

We were about to get started on the task the teacher set, I was deliberately making eye contact with Katie, planning to go be her partner, when two unfamiliar people entered the room. There were only three spaces left, the small one with dark, spiky hair went immediately to sit next to Katie, and the one I couldn't take my eyes off since he walked into the room walked straight past Lauren – she was glaring resolutely at the front of the classroom – and sat next to me.

It took me a second but I finally managed to speak, "er... hi, I'm Bella swan," I stammered pathetically.

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen," he replied, turning to look at me properly and I was immediately lost in a sea of liquid gold.

After a few seconds of staring into his eyes with inappropriate intensity, I searched for something clever to say, "didn't fancy sitting next to Lauren then?" I asked feeling like a complete idiot by then.

But he answered anyway, I was surprised he didn't laugh in my face or stand up and walk away disgusted, "no, she was a little too... hostile for me."

"Hostile... yeah that's a good way to describe her," shut _up _Bella, _shut up!_

"Is she always like that?"

"Yeah pretty much."

I smiled, I wouldn't have to move now next to Katie, and she already had a partner, so it wasn't like I was abandoning her, and I was so looking forward to being Edward's partner. He really was beautiful, if that word could be used for a guy.

We turned our attention to English then for the lesson – I had a little, okay a _lot_ of trouble with that, I would keep getting distracted by his eyes... his lips... his hair... his arm occasionally brushing mine...

The lesson passed quickly, much, much too quickly and we started packing up laboriously. At least there was a twenty minute break between this lesson and the next, unless he didn't want to stand with me and my friends in break. It was cold outside so most people usually stood inside, some people liked to sit down and rushed to get seats along the corridors but me, Angela, Ben and Mike always went to lean against the radiator.

We were the last people out the door, but Edward's sister was waiting for us, "Bella, this is my sister Alice, Alice this is Bella," Edward formally introduced us casually, oh what an oxymoron.

"Hi," I said kind of shyly.

"Hello Bella," she said enthusiastically, like we were already best friends, "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Okay, so do you want to stand with me and my friends this break? We usually get a spot right by the radiator," shameful, I was actually using the radiator as an incentive for them to spend break with us.

Just then Keira barged past me, and went to cling onto Edwards arm like he was an incredibly powerful magnet attracting only her. Then Keira was talking too fast to make any sense, but it seemed to be something about him going to sit with her friends over break, and probably every break after that... Normally I wouldn't've said anything, even if it was _Edward Cullen_ she was all over, except that he looked like an extremely disgusting and poisonous snake was slithering up his arm and about to bite him.

I was wondering what I could say to my sister – who lives to ignore me in public – to get her to go away. Then I spot a miracle crawling down the wall next to me, it was big and solidly black, definitely enough to produce a scream from Keira. Yet it was small enough to not make me cringe away from it. After shooting a sly look at Keira and Edward who both had the same expressions on their faces, Edward was still looking into the eyes of an extremely poisonous snake, and Keira was trying for puppy dog eyes while also trying to be alluring and fluttering her eyelashes so fast it looked like she was trying to blow him away with eye-power alone.

I quickly scooped up the spider and walked up to stand just behind Keira. I knew I was going to pay for this later, I only hoped it would be back at home with no one – especially not Edward – watching.

"Keira?" I said to get her attention.

She looked back at me with an ugly scowl on her face and as she turned I shoved the spider into her face. As predicted, she let out a blood curdling shriek and ran away literally faster than her legs could carry her – she tripped over once on the completely flat and even floor.

We all watched her for a second, stunned by the extreme force of her reaction. Then we all burst into hysterical laughter.

It took us a minute to recover but then Edward turned to me in earnest, "thanks, I really owe you one, Bella," he looked straight into my eyes and I literally melted on the spot.

"No problem" I muttered dazed, if they noticed, they were polite enough not to say anything but I could just imagine what they were thinking.

"Okay," I said after staring into Edward's eyes, and strangely, him staring back into mine.

I reluctantly turn away to lead them to the radiator, but out of the corner of my eye I saw his face crumple into a frown. Oh god, all my worst fears were actually true, he had just been hiding his disgust for me. Was I dying? It felt like it.

I hoped I didn't have biology with him next lesson, or any other lessons with him for that matter. It would be absolutely horrible sitting there, crushing – and it was definitely the start of a crush even though I had just met him an hour ago – on the guy next to me, who also is repulsed by me.


	2. Chapter 2 gym

A/N – thnx for all my reviews, (supernatural33, blueprint12 and Dimitri's-Little-Sister-Jackie) also – I have actually chased my younger sister down the street with a spider, and I will write the next chapter from Edward's POV but I thought it was important to show Keira's revenge from Bella's POV also, also I wanted to put a little more action into the story and make Keira's revenge really horrible so Edward could find her ( I know my version of romance is a little wierd)

**Chapter 2 – gym**

He wasn't in biology. And he didn't have a free third. But both Edward and Alice came back to join us at second break and lunch. And now I had double P.E with him.

I hated P.E, I hated my body. I also hated that the P.E faculty had authorisation to hold us in over last break, the only consolation being that you got let out twenty minutes early. Though, technically, I should have loved this module, but I didn't. Gymnastics in school just didn't compare to my acro club in Portangeles. Of course this was the first session in the new module and so we weren't expected to bring the right kit, but we still had tracksuits with us. We were told we had to have black shorts, and a stupid white polo top – short-sleeved. I would die of embarrassment. I was the opposite to my sister, if she did gymnastics outside school she would already be demonstrating cartwheels, walkovers and whatever else she could think of.

I on the other hand was dreading this, of course I already had my gym stuff for after school with me, and of course the coach knew I did gym out of school. Keira could see what was going to happen as well, and she was looking daggers at me all through the teachers pep-talk/intro to the module.

I sighed as he looked at me expectantly, yet he seemed to have some sympathy for me as he told everyone to get changed into whatever they had got with them. I got changed into my full-length, black jogging bottoms and a white long-sleeved top and came back into the gym with everyone else.

"Right, I want you to do three laps of the field," the teacher ordered.

There were moans from the class, I just looked around. I didn't know why, though I suppose I did, I was just kidding myself into believing that I wasn't going to care about Edward Cullen.

Suddenly a voice behind me tickled my ear, giving me goose bumps and making me go tingly down my left side, "So, you don't mind the three laps then? Everyone else seems to think its a little too far for them to manage."

"Nope, I'm not a complainer," it was all I could come up with by way of reply.

I turned to look at him, he had long grey jogging bottoms and a navy blue t-shirt on. He was stood casually with his hands in his pockets and a crooked smile on his face that actually took my breath away. I blushed and looked at the teacher who was finally getting the class to move.

Alice ran past us, "race you!" she called.

Edward turned to me and gestured for me to go first, "you coming?"

"Sure."

I set off at a fast pace, but not sprinting. I knew I would be able to keep this up for a measly three laps of the field, I regularly did twice that at the same pace. Amazingly, Edward managed to keep up with me through one and most of the second lap. He started falling behind ever so slightly that I didn't notice at first.

I finished my three laps to see that Edward and Alice were quite a distance behind me, and the rest of the class almost twice that distance behind them, most of them had given up running and had just started walking. I was only slightly out of breath. And, dammit, everyone was looking at me! I tried to hide behind myself but that didn't really work so I deliberately walked up to the teacher and asked what I should do next.

"Hmm... when Edward and Alice finish go inside with them and do a quick warm up."

OK, just Edward and Alice. Not totally embarrassing. But still embarrassing. And everyone was still looking at me from the other side of the field. Before Edward and Alice had even finished their laps I jogged over to them and reported back the teachers instructions, too eager to get away from the accusing eyes I could feel trained on me like thousands of spotlights are trained on an escaping prisoner.

They quickly agree and we go straight inside to start a warm up. We all did our own thing more or less, and with them it was easy to slip back into the deeply ingrained gym habits, pointed feet, stretching nicely before each new stretch. I even put my front foot on a crash mat when stretching my splits on each leg.

"So, do you do gymnastics after school then?" he asked when I was on my right leg splits.

"Uh, yeah, I go to the club in Portangeles straight from school," why was I telling him this? The only other person who knew was Angela – apart from my sister and the teacher.

"Cool," he sounded like he genuinely thought it was cool, I couldn't find a hint of sarcasm in his voice at all, I was mystified, "when do you go?"

"er, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Wednesdays and Sundays as well if I have a competition."

"Wow," yeah it was a lot but we were an elite club, we were used to getting medals.

I moved onto the other leg, then box splits and was just doing my last bridge when the door opened and the rest of the class filed in behind him. I quickly came out of bridge and sat up on the mat, but the coach had already seen me.

"Wow, you're really flexible," Edward whispered in my ear, I flushed and was pleased the teacher had started talking so I didn't have to turn round and answer him.

I wasn't so pleased when I registered what the teacher was saying, "Bella, would you mind showing the class your bridge please?"

Oh no. No, legs, what are you doing? Stop walking! I wont do this! No! You cant make me! But apparently, if you are my body you can make me. I laid down on the floor, brought my hands up so that my elbows were pointed to the ceiling and my fingers were under my shoulders pointing towards my feet, which I had just brought up so they were as close to my body as I could get them. I pushed up and my legs automatically locked out. The class cringed.

"Okay, now how close can you get your feet to your hands?"

In answer, I walked my feet and hands in until I was completely bent in half backwards, my hands gripping onto my ankles and my head resting on the back of my legs. Murmurs went around the class, and I pushed my head further back into my legs, hoping that if I push hard enough, I might break my back and die.

What? To morbid? How is that different to wanting the ground to swallow you whole? Both are totally unlikely to happen.

"Okay you can come out of that position now," the teacher says and I let go of my ankles and unfolded myself, standing straight up without touching the floor once with my hands, just how I've been taught to do. I started walking back to where I was sat, but the coach called me back, asking for demonstrations of practically every element there is; walkovers, round-offs, flicks, even free cartwheels and walkovers with practically every variation, which I had to take a pretty big run up for, they were as hard, if not harder, than somersaults.

I felt like a circus monkey, behind bars, just doing tricks for the audience. I just did what I was told, I stopped caring about the audience and they didn't care about me, only the tricks that I could do. Does the circus monkey ever get to complain? Does he or she ever get asked what they would like to do? Does she ever get stage fright? What type of personality does she have? And is she the same or a different monkey than in the last show?

The bell rang for break and we could jealously hear crowds of people walking past. Now that the coach had seen practically everything I could do, he moved me onto the easy stuff, so that the class could copy what I did. He got me to do a handstand, where he caught my feet and started pointing out to the class different things like how my fingers were bent slightly and the ends white from gripping the ground. He pointed out how my back was straight and not arched behind me. He pointed out how my toes were pointed, my elbows and knees locked straight. I felt like a diagram, I didn't know it was possible to feel like a flat picture with labels stuck onto you, but there you go, it is possible.

Then he let go to see how long I could hold it. I wasn't going to stand there upside down for ages so after the customary three seconds, I come down. All the blood had rushed to my ears and someone had asked the coach a question and then he was replying, but I couldn't hear a word either of them were saying.

Then we had a handstand competition, there were lots of rounds, months of birthdays, hair colour, eye colour... whoever won then got to give the others a forfeit, and the coach said that if I didn't win I would get a double forfeit. I wasn't bothered though, the forfeits were only something like ten press-ups, or ten sit-ups.

The lesson carried on like that – now do you see why I hate gym in school? - and at long last it ended. I was the first one in and out the changing rooms, I almost ran to my truck and started it up to go to gym. I would be really early but anything was better than staying here another minute. I imagined Keira's plans for revenge would have doubled now, I had stolen her spotlight, albeit unwillingly, but nevertheless, it was still stolen, I would gladly give it back to her, but her pride wouldn't allow it, it had to be _stolen_ back.

Sounds ominous doesn't it? I bet your thinking; oh she's your sister, what harm can she do? But sisters can be meaner than anyone else – they know all your secrets, all your weaknesses, practically everything about you – especially if they get carried away.

For the second time that afternoon, I felt like a fleeing prisoner. And for the first time in my life I wished I was driving something other than my truck – I know, shock horror! But my trusty truck had a measly fifty miles per hour, internal speed limit. I pushed the pedal down even further hoping to coax more speed out of it, but instead all I got was more groaning. I sighed and took some of the pressure off my foot, I didn't want to torture my truck, it was my baby.

I went to my gym club and after the three hours of training, I had almost completely forgotten about what happened earlier today at school. I wasn't as bothered here about my body, we all had similar body types. I doubted I could ever wear the shorts in school.

It was almost dark when I walked out of gym with my hoodie and jogging bottoms back on. I sighed as I realised I had to walk right down the other end of the street to get into my truck.

"Hey, where you going?" I hear a male voice shout at me from a shadow.

I automatically, stop and look for the source of the voice, "over here!" a different voice called from the other side of me.

Okay, now I was getting a little freaked out. I started walking a little faster to my truck but then I stopped, startled as I saw a familiar black Audi parked only a couple of cars along from my truck. A hulking figure stepped in front of me accompanied by the smell of alcohol. I blanched, I knew revenge was coming for me, twice, but I had no idea she would resort to violence!

I really wasn't a violent person, I wouldn't stand a chance, "It was bad enough with the spider, but then you had to start showing off didn't you?" I could hear my _sisters_ voice come from just behind the muscle man stood in front of me, "Get her!" she screeched after I had started backing away.

I turned and bolted. A couple of people ran after me, I ran just fast enough so that I wouldn't get caught, but slow enough that I could keep it up for longer. I glanced over my shoulder once, and tripped. I caught myself and tried to push myself back up to keep on running. But the guy behind me grabbed me and threw me against the alley wall.

I thrust my knee upwards between his legs and he reeled back, collapsing in on himself. I tried to duck under his arm and run away, I was successful in that I managed to duck under the first guy's arm, but as I straightened up to run again, a different fist connected with my nose.

Ouch didn't even cover it.

I had heard the crunch of my nose but the pain hadn't come yet, there was still too much adrenaline and other hormones racing through my veins. I landed back against the alley wall, with the guy who had just punched me only an inch away. I pushed him away with all my strength and he stumbled and fell to the ground.

I didn't really take in many details, only that there were four people, including Keira, there. The one who hadn't touched me yet stepped in with an under cut to my stomach. I fell to the ground wheezing as all four came and started kicking me.

I curled up and lay unresponsive as the kicks carried on. Fortunately all of them had severely limited attention spans, unfortunately, they were very angry.

A lay still for a few moments after the attackers had got bored and given up. Then, I forced my muscles to work, I was shaky and very nauseous, also I had no energy left in me. I felt completely drained as I staggered to the end of the alley. I could really feel my nose now, and I noticed the trails of blood running down my face.

I suddenly felt light headed and struggled to think clearly. I took another step and then became confused as I saw the ground swimming in front of my eyes.


	3. Chapter 3 horror

A/N - as promised an Edward chapter! and now a little spoiler, the next chapter will be 2 short pieces from charlie and Bella, i cant wait to write them!! i really think i should have made them got to know each other a little better over a couple of days rather than one but whats done is done *sigh*

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Chapter 3 - horror**

As well as beautiful, she was really flexible, and committed. She did gymnastics an insane amount after school, it was a wonder she ever got any homework done.

Bella had been really distant since the end of English. She was stood there, just across the other side of the group from me within arms reach, yet so far away. She was mostly talking to Angela mostly and sometimes Alice, and I usually talked to Ben and Mike, Ben seemed okay but I could have sworn Mike thought he was going out with Bella, the possessive way he talked about her, but maybe he was, I didn't know. Maybe that was why she never once looked my way, it made me nervous but I couldn't get her out of my head. I still had the image of her wide chocolate eyes staring back at me as I told her my name, her blank face as my mouth carried on saying a sentence that I had already forgotten.

I still hadn't worked up enough courage to talk to her properly by the end of lunch, to find out if she was actually going out with Mike, but then I found out that both me and Alice had P.E with her next.

I sat behind her, arriving a few seconds late for the class because I had to check what I had next, then find my way here with Alice. I hadn't known she would be hear, and my body stopped as I saw her again.

Suddenly everyone was getting up to go get changed. It was lucky we had got our schedules yesterday as we visited the school for the last five minutes of the day, I knew I had P.E today so I was able to bring my kit and join in.

I walked out of the changing rooms just in time to hear the class be given three laps of the field to do. But no-one was moving, they were all stood around trying to persuade the coach to give them two laps instead, or even one.

I saw Bella and couldn't stop myself going over to her. She hadn't seen me yet so I walked so I was stood a couple of inches behind her shoulder, I decided to speak before my confidence wavered, or she turned to look at me, that would definitely not be conducive to my plan to speak to her.

"So, you don't mind the three laps then? Everyone else seems to think its a little too far for them to manage."

she stiffened infinitesimally, almost a reflex reaction, did she notice herself do it? Or more importantly, why did she do it? Did she hate me so much? I wondered what I had done to offend her.

"Nope, I'm not a complainer."

Her reply was pleasant enough, I relaxed and put my hands in my pockets as she turned round to look at me. She stood there silently for a minute and then suddenly blushed and looked at the teacher.

Alice – always in possession of too much energy, I often wondered who she was stealing it from – ran past us shouting, "race you!"

"You coming?" I asked her, I was going for nonchalance, but I don't know if it really worked.

"Sure" and so she set off at a fast pace, I wondered if she realised that we had three laps to do instead of one.

I kept pace with her – as far as I was able, god that girl was fit! She didn't slow down one bit as she completed her final lap and looked around in shock. Her eyes zoomed in on me and Alice a quarter of a lap behind her.

When me and Alice were nearly finished Bella jogged over and told us what the coach had said so we went inside while the coach embarked on mission impossible, aka, getting the class to move with some energy, maybe they could borrow some of Alice's.

We started stretching, I was mesmerised by her. She didn't seem to be fully aware of her surroundings, I watched as she straightened her legs and pointed her feet so hard that her heels came off the ground, by quite a way as well.

She suddenly got up and walked away without and explanation. I looked up at her, startled. She walked over to a pile of crash mats, knelt down and placed one foot straight out in front of her, onto the pile of crash mats. I watched in fascination as she then slid the leg she was kneeling on backwards so she was almost sitting on the floor, in some sort of hyper-extended splits.

On a whim, I went over to her, "so do you do gymnastics after school then?" I asked, she had to if she was that flexible.

"Uh, yeah, I go to the club in Portangeles straight from school," it was nice to get something from her, I knew nothing about her really, only that she was called Bella Swan and that she lived somewhere in Forks.

"Cool, when do you go?" it was only small talk I told myself, something to fill the silence, but I honestly was curious.

"Er, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Wednesdays and Sundays as well if I have a competition."

"Wow," was all I said, I was in awe, how could she do so much? And then even more when she had a competition! She was amazing. Maybe we could just be friends? I would try to make up for whatever I had done to make her so distant throughout the day, then we could just be friends, I would never pressure her to go out with me or anything.

I mainly watched her finish her warm up, still mesmerised by her, by the way she moved... and then the rest of the class came in and Bella quickly assumed a generic, seated position on the floor.

"Wow, you're really flexible," okay Edward, you now officially sound like a stalker, smooth, she's never going to like you now, I winced internally at my own thoughts.

Bella was called up to demonstrate her "bridge" I had no idea what that was but then she laid on the floor and just did exactly what she did a minute ago. The whole class cringed.

She was made to do lots of other stuff as well, and I admired the way she moved, so much power and strength and flexibility. But I could see she wished she was sat back down in the audience. What was going on? I thought she liked gym?

The lesson passed with my thoughts mostly centred around Bella. And then we were dismissed and she was gone. I was a little disappointed, but what did I expect? She probably thought I was a creep.

I sighed as me and Alice waited for Emmett to be let out of school then we drove home in the car. As we drove home I realised that Alice was determined not to let such an inconsequential thing as moving house would stop us from going to cinema night. Every Thursday we all went to the cinema to see a film and then go for a pizza or something. I was even less enthusiastic about going when I remembered it was Alice's turn to pick the film.

It wasn't _so_ bad though, she chose _couple's retreat_ which was more of a comedy than the usual _chick flick _that we got dragged to see every third week. However, she had noticed me watching Bella all day and she just couldn't seem to resist making little jibes every so often throughout the evening.

It was about 8:00 when we finally made our way back to the car. Emmett had told me to park along this really weird and obscure street, we had to walk for ages to find the cinema. I wasn't too happy about that, and Emmett still hadn't apologised, he probably knew that if he brought it up he would get completely chewed out by both me and Alice.

I was about to get into the car when a dark gang of about four suddenly ran out of an alley across the street. They were obviously up to no good but I didn't particularly want to get involved in whatever they had been up to. I rolled my eyes angrily but let it go and got in the car. I turned to put my seatbelt on and my eyes caught a movement at the entrance of the alley where the thugs had just run from. I focused on the movement just in time to see Bella collapse on the path.

"Shit!" the word flew from my mouth just as I flew from the car, "Bella!" I called frantically.

I knelt down beside her and turned her face gently from the floor to look at me. Her eyes were closed, she was unconscious. I fumbled with my pocket as I tried, too fast, to pull out my phone.

I finally managed to dial 999 but all the ambulances were already out on emergency calls. I then asked where the hospital was in Portangeles, I grimly hung up when she told me and slid my phone back into my pocket.

"What are you doing?" Alice asked quietly, she was stood behind me, and I could also hear concern in her voice.

"I'm taking her to the hospital," I replied, no emotion in my voice.

I slid my hand gently under her shoulders, they were pushed up in reaction to my arm underneath,but there was no other movement, no signs of life in her body other than her weak, shallow breathing. Her shoulders felt shockingly small as her limp form was disguised by a massive hoodie. She felt so fragile. I cradled her head against my shoulder and picked up her legs with my other arm. I lifted her up with ease, she was as light as a feather, and that made it easy to be careful with her.

"Alice? Can you dive us to the hospital?" I asked , it wasn't really a question, she would be driving us to the hospital whether she liked it or not.

"Of course," she said, and ran to the car.

I walked slowly and carefully back to the car with Bella in my arms, not taking my eyes off her for one instant, as if I was afraid she would take a bad turn as soon as I was looking away. Emmett silently opened the back door to my car and I got in, trying to jostle Bella as little as I could. She felt broken, she looked broken too, her nose was now slightly crooked and I guessed that it had been broken, there was blood covering her face, from her nose and from some cuts she had got. There were scrapes along the heels of her hands and I gash along her knee. She looked so vulnerable.

I told Alice where the hospital was and she started to drive there fast. I groaned as I saw blue flashing lights behind us. Alice pulled over and the policeman swaggered up to the window, Alice had already rolled it down and explained to the him what we were doing.

As the policeman looked in the back and saw the state of the girl I held in my arms, his eyes widened, "Christ," he whispered.

"Don't worry just follow us," the policeman told Alice even as he was running back to his car.

We made it to the hospital within minutes, the police had called ahead to prepare the hospital for our arrival and we could see doctors and nurses waiting with I bed on wheels by the door.

Everything happened so fast. The car door was being opened. Bella was being laid on the hard bed. They were covering her face with an oxygen mask. She was being wheeled away...

Doctors and nurses were asking who she was, I could only tell them Bella Swan, no address, no names of anyone else they could contact. I told them I was Edward Cullen, not sure what use that would be, but they asked so I figured I had better tell them. Was I relative? A boyfriend? No, I could only tell them we were her friends.

My arms felt too empty, I felt empty. Alice placed a comforting arm around my shoulder and we walked into the hospital. I heard Emmett muttering quietly on the phone to our dad, Carlisle, hew was a doctor, but he was working at Forks, hospital, doing a night shift at the moment.

I sat in one of the hard leather chairs with my head in my hands impatiently waiting for some news. We had been waiting for fifteen minutes and I was nearing the end of my tether.

Just then a man in a suit stormed into the ward with all the policemen who had helped us running after him, trying to calm him down so he wouldn't disturb the patients... not physically restraining him like I knew they had every right to do... calling him chief. A nurse bravely stepped in front of him.

"Where is she, where's my daughter?" he demanded, he was red faced and was almost spitting everywhere in his fury.

"Who is your daughter sir?" I was surprised the nurse didn't run, but I supposed nurses were meant to have nerves of steel so it made sense, "Come with me and then we can look on the records, see if she's been admitted."

"Bella. My daughter is Isabella Swan," he stated with more grief than anger in his voice now, my ears pricked up hoping that I would hear something more about Bella.

The nurse's face fell and became wary, the pit of my stomach crashed through the ground and into the basement. The nurse and the policemen worked as a team to sit the man down before they said anything. Someone even got him a cup of water. They kept repeating words over and over again to him, comforting but meaningless.

Everyone looked up in hope as a doctor came through the door to the room where they had taken Bella, but he went to talk to some other people about someone else they had brought in.

I sank even lower than before, I groaned, as I put my face back in my hands. Alice rubbed my shoulder trying to sooth me, but nothing could do that now, save for the knowledge that Bella was going to be alright.

Another five minutes passed, or so the clock said. I had always trusted the clock before, I never thought to question whether it actually could go slower or faster depending on its mood, but now I was convinced.

Another doctor came through the door holding a chart, "Edward Cullen?"he called and I stood up, the red faced man who had burst in was currently getting a coffee with the policemen, they had finally convinced him to get something to perk him up ready to check in on his daughter when the time came.

The doctor walked over to me calmly, that was a good sign, right? Even so, my heart accelerated and my palms became sweaty.

"Is Bella going to be alright?" I asked worriedly before I could stop myself.

"She's going to heal, she had some pretty severe cuts that had to be cleaned and now monitored for infection, she had a dislocated shoulder, a broken nose, one broken rib which luckily hadn't punctured anything, and we think she collapsed form exhaustion," hearing it all like that, it was as bad as seeing her lay crumpled on the floor.

"But she's going to be fine right?" I had to make sure.

"Yes, we're taking her up to ICU now, you can come with us if you like," I nodded my head and walked with them, holding onto the rails on Bella's bed for support.

We got to the ward and thanked the doctors and nurses as they left, "you guys can go too if you want, tell mum and dad what happened and everything," I told my brother and sister.

"If you're sure," Alice said as she left.

I stared at Bella's sleeping face. It covered with scratched and deeper cuts and her nose was straightened and held in place. She looked better though, everything was cleaned and she looked peaceful in her sleep, even if it was morphine induced. I felt like a great weight had been lifted from me as I sat down in the chair next to her bed. I felt my eyelids droop and I soon fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N – **OK so I lied, I did originally do this where Bella woke up and talked to Charlie with Edward asleep in the background, to create some tension in their conversation, but then I decided to do it like this instead, I thought it would lead to a better storyline afterwards.

For those who don't have a dad who is a policeman like me, GBH stands for grievous bodily harm.

**Chapter 4 - hospital**

**Nurse's POV.**

He fell asleep looking at her, but he didn't look relaxed, somehow he still had a frown on his face. He didn't sleep lightly either, every time someone walked past he would start awake and look over in panic at the girl he was sat next to, watching over, and when he saw that all the signals on the life-support machine were healthy and stable a look of profound relief would flood his face. If this was any other situation it would look positively hilarious.

I walked as quietly as I could to check the girl's chart so as not to wake him up, there really was no need to worry. He hadn't gotten a full hour of sleep yet and it was already 1:00 am. I briefly looked at the chart, it said she was Isabella Swan, seventeen, lived in Forks, I looked to see why she had been admitted. It seemed that the boy had brought her in after he found her beaten up on the street. I walked quietly past the nurse's station where two of the other night nurses were gossiping about an apparently gorgeous new doctor in our sister hospital in Forks, Dr Carlisle Cullen. I rolled my eyes at them.

I checked on a few more patients, everything was fine as I finished my rounds and went to have my break, I woke up Catherine and took her place on the bed. About ten minutes into my break I woke up to the sound of a loud beeping, someone had pushed the call button.

I pushed my self off the bed hurrying to the ICU to see what was wrong. The boy who had fallen asleep here was standing over Bella with his hand over her forehead. Her heart rate had picked up and I could see she had been sweating profusely.

"I think she has an infection," he stated as I came rushing to his side.

A doctor came running in then with some more nurses. I gently pulled the boy away from Bella and lead him back to the waiting room, I got him a cup of water. He took it shakily and sipped it sparingly, he was worried and exhausted.

"What's your name?" I asked to try and distract him.

"Edward," he replied, his voice was a monotone.

"Edward...?"

"Cullen."

The name rang a bell somewhere, I knew I had heard it before, "Can I call someone for you? Its probably best if you go home, the doctors can take good care of Bella for you and I promise to keep a good eye on her," he didn't look at me, I knew it sounded like I was trying to console a ten-year-old, but the words were out now and I didn't even try to take them back, it would only make matters worse.

"if you come here and ask for my friend Fran, I'll make sure she lets you up to see your friend whatever time you want, regardless of visiting hours," I tried to bargain with him.

"Isn't that kind of reserved for family only?" he asked in a flat voice.

"I'll pull some strings, people would have you believe the doctors were the most influential people in a hospital nut in reality, its the nurses."

He laughed one hard laugh, no humour. He looked up at me then, his eyes slid across my face then focused on something over my shoulder, "try telling my dad that."

I heard footsteps approaching and I stood as Edward did.

"Are you okay Edward?" I heard a deep voice behind me ask in concern.

"Yeah, I'm OK dad, just worried, that's all," Edward replied as I turned to look at a film-star, he was tall, and handsome definitely, but he had pale skin and golden hair.

"Emmett and Alice told me and your mother where you were," he said as he pulled his son into a hug, "I came as soon as I got off my shift at the hospital," oh, I knew where I had heard the name before now, I would have to tell the others he was married though.

Another doctor came back from the ICU, he looked over to us and made his way here, "You were right," he said to Edward, "she did have an infection, but luckily it was only a minor one, we have now got her on a course of antibiotics and we are now monitoring her very carefully, her farther is now with her, we promise to call you if anything changes if you want to go home now."

"I think that's a good idea," said Dr Carlisle Cullen, who then proceeded to recite their phone number so we could call them.

The doctor then towed his reluctant son out of the hospital. He was a good kid and I wanted him to get some proper sleep.

**Charlie's POV**

I was in a rage, one of my daughters was brought into the hospital after being found, beaten up, by one of her classmates. The police on duty and a nurse had all been stood around me trying to calm me down and had convinced me to get a cup of coffee. Now that I was back waiting outside the emergency room where she had been treated, they were telling me she had already been moved to intensive care.

I had exploded, I hadn't even seen my daughter in weeks, I was the chief of police for the whole of Northwest Washington, it pulled me away from home way too much. I was ranting and raving, I had even thrown a chair across the hall. A small part of my brain at the very back warned me that I was acting like the thugs I arrested on a daily basis for anti-social behaviour.

The doctors had told me what she had, a dislocated shoulder, a broken nose, a broken rib, a gash in her knee and millions of other cuts. I was going to _murder_ whoever did this to her, well, at least get them for assault and GBH making sure they all get the maximum sentence.

The _person_ who had brought her in – they hadn't even told me who whether it was a boy or a girl, only that they knew Bella from school – had said they had seen four people running from the alley where they had found Bella. This _person_ was also where I wanted to be right now, sat with Bella, but they wouldn't let me till I had calmed down.

They were asking me to leave the hospital, they said I could come back in once I had calmed down, and they were only allowing that because Bella was my daughter. I was finally wrestled outside where I sank to the floor leaning against the wall of the hospital and sobbing.

I don't know how long I was sat outside trying to calm down, I had even gone for a drive around town, something that usually helps with my temper, after I had lost it a few times and hit Bella I had sought help, me and the councillor had come up with going for a drive as an alternative. I had a lot of anger in me, so the drive was long and it had been completely dark for a while before I gained enough composure to re-enter the hospital.

It was about 1:00 am when I got to the ward where Bella was, there was some activity around a bed down the end and a nurse leading a worried visitor away from the commotion. He didn't notice me but he looked so worried...

I immediately forgot about him as I searched the ward for Bella. Another nurse came up to me and asked me to wait where I was for a moment and then she would be right with me. The flurry at the end of the ward quickly dissipated and soon everyone was walking away calmly, not one worried face. The nurse who had spoken to me before came up to me again and asked who I was here for, and what relation I was to her.

"I'm here for Bella Swan, she's my daughter."

She turned and walked down the ward motioning for me to follow her. I looked in all the beds as we went past, hoping to see Bella laying peacefully asleep. We walked to the end of the ward and I was filled dread as I saw Bella laid on the very bed that the nurses and doctors had just been crowded around.

"What just happened" I whispered.

"Well, Bella developed in minor infection in the wound in her leg, it was actually the boy who brought her in who noticed and alerted us, but its nothing to worry about, its very easily treated and she will be absolutely fine."

"Was that the boy the other nurse lead out?" he looked really worried about my Bella.

"Yes."

"What's his name?"

"I'm sorry I'm not allowed to tell you, patient confidentiality."

"But he's not a patient," I grunted.

"Still, we aren't allowed to give out any personal details about anyone who enters the hospital."

I gave up, I had no more energy left in me to fight. I looked down at her and new grief racked through me. She looked so similar to her mother when she died... I felt fear grip me, both the remembered fear for Renee and the new fear for Bella. They looked so alike, in general, it sent me spiralling right back to eight years ago. I liked to think my almost complete absence from their lives since then was due to work, but really it was because they looked so much like her, it was a constant reminder of what I had lost.

I collapsed into the chair, I had no energy left to stand and I sat there sobbing again for the second time that night.

**Bella's POV**

I was confused, and throbbing all over. I could feel scratchy sheets on top of me and a plastic tube coming out of the crook of my elbow.

Where was I?

Argh! Sharp pains entered my nose, my ribs, my knee. I felt battered and bruised and like I was inhabiting a Michelin man suit rather than my body. I could see orange through my eyelids, and I knew there was a bright white light near me. Was I dead?

I doubted that, unless your take your injuries with you to the afterlife, who knows?I decided to open my eyes and get definitive proof one way or the other.

I blinked my eyes open and found myself looking at an empty chair that looked like it had been sat on. I heard a rustle behind me and turned my head to find my dad sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the bed.

"What happened?" I asked, I already knew I had been basically attacked by Keira and a few of her friends, I just wanted to see what he knew.

"I didn't get told much, but a boy from your school found you and brought you in here because you had been brutally attacked, he said he saw four thugs running from an alley then he saw you collapse! Bella what were you doing out that late at night in Portangeles?"

"I do gym there, remember? I was just going straight from the gym to my truck, but it was parked quite a way down the road." I explained.

He looked at me blankly, he obviously didn't remember even though I had been doing it for ten years. A doctor came then, saving dad from his embarrassment at not knowing one of his daughters' hobbies.

He looked casually at the chart, "well, Bella you developed an infection in the night in your knee, but that was easily sorted, but I'm afraid you wont be doing your gym for a long time, if it was just your nose that was broken you could've gone back after a weekend of rest, but unfortunately..." he left his sentence hanging sadly while I was frozen staring at him in horror. The prelims! They were only a few weeks away!

"The prelims," I whispered.

The doctor sighed and continued, "you were very lucky your friend brought you in when he did, much longer collapsed on the street and you could've developed a much worse infection, and not have it treated."

I could sense my dad bristling at the new information, "them yobs! Just think what could've happened to you! Just you wait until I get my hands in them! They'll never see the light of day again!" he vented his steam, but when he was a little calmer he asked, "do you know who brought you in, I would like to thank them."

"no..." I answered, I hadn't really thought about it before but now I did, I owed my life to a boy at my school, "I think was unconscious by then."

The doctor left and me and my dad sat in silence for a few minutes, "what time is it?" I asked to break the silence.

My dad checked his watch, "quarter past ten."

"oh," I couldn't conceal the disappointment in my voice, my dad looked at me curiously, "I'm missing English right now," and Edward.

I wondered if he would miss me, if he would wonder why I wasn't at school. Oh snap out of it Bella! Although it would be wise to phone gym and tell them I wouldn't be coming in for a while.


	5. Chapter 5 Keira

**A/N**

-to clear up some confusion, Edward _isn't_ a vampire, he just has golden eyes, sorry!

-And I'm also really sorry about the awfulness of the writing in this chapter but Keira is a very different person to Bella, so I was thinking she would also have a completely different mental voice to her, I hope its not too bad!!

-and tutor lasts only half an hour so days when they have tutor finish about an hour earlier than all the other days

-and (everyone groans as yet _another_ bullet point is added to the list) I'm sorry this is so short but there wasn't much to write until Keira sees Bella again, but don't worry though! Next chapter is going to be an Edward chapter! (writer is finally forgiven)

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**Chapter 5 - Keira**

Ugh! My head throbbed and I felt like I was going to throw up any second. I lurched dizzily for the bathroom and like puked my guts up in the toilet. I had a free first and that's why I was drinking last night – I think, I tried to recall but it took all my concentration.

I remembered being like really pissed at Bella. She had like chased me down the corridor in the sixth form block with like a huge spider. In front of _Edward Cullen_. I had been so embarrassed by that that I had like basically hid like all the rest of break and through my free before the bell rang for music. I had heard _Edward_ was like doing music but he wasn't in my class.

But he was totally in my P.E class, where _Bella_ – I couldn't even think her name without my mental voice distorting around it, seething with hate – like showed me up again. She was totally trying to steal my friends! She thinks she's so special just because she does gym!

I felt so low and was like complaining all the time to my friends about her that they suggested we go out, I didn't know how they got served at seventeen... well, I kinda supposed they looked closer to nineteen.

My thoughts were interrupted by another upheaval in my stomach. I slumped against the toilet and panted after the violent puking that had just happened. My stomach felt empty now, I knew that what I needed was to like brush my teeth and have like a million glasses of water. I just totally couldn't be bothered to move! I wondered lazily what time it was, dammit! I had actually broken my phone at the worst possible time!

I heaved myself up off the floor and grasped the sink for support and balance, putting like most of my weight on it. I groaned unenthusiastically as I squirted the toothpaste on my brush and started to like slowly brush my teeth. I was _definitely_ not up to fast movements this morning. Or loud sounds I tacked on as an afterthought as I like winced at the sound of my hair-straighteners clattering to the ground. I totally loved my hair-straighteners, they cost like over a hundred pounds but GHD's were totally worth it.

I finished my teeth and got myself a glass of water and had downed like half of it before I had even left the bathroom. I stumbled into my bedroom, barely managing to put my glass down on the bedside table before I like totally collapsed onto my bed. Ugh! I grunted and rolled over so I could look at my clock. Great, it was five to ten, I was so totally missing learning support now.

I had like an hour and a half to get to school before biology, Mrs. Wainwright would totally freak if I missed another biology lesson. So I just laid there and closed my eyes.

This time when I woke up I felt like totally better, I liked that once I puked that was it, no more lasting grogginess. I looked at the clock again and saw that I had like thirty five minutes to get ready. I rolled out of bed, put my lovely, shiny new GHD's on my desk and switched them on while I went for an extra long, hot shower.

I supposed overall, I kinda liked hangovers, Bella could never wake me up, so I was free to sleep in till like whenever I wanted, then I got like ages in the shower!

I dressed in my blue top with the off-the-shoudler neck, it was like my fave next to the red top, _which was like still in the wash! Argh!_ I was going to kill Bella next time I saw her! With my leggings which I loved cause they like totally showed off my long legs.

Oh crap! I realised that I had no way of getting to school, Bella had already taken her truck. For gods _sake!_ I went back into the house and had to use the _house phone_ to call Brent to come pick me up.

"Hey, Keira," he said in his sexy voice.

"Hey Brent," I replied in my most sexiest voice ever.

"What's up?"

"I'm at my house and Bella's taken the truck so I cant get to school."

"Oh, bummer!" he said, dammit! Like why couldn't he just offer me like a lift already? Did he like not notice that I wasn't like at school? He was like my boyfriend, he totally _should_ have noticed!

"I was just well like kinda wondering if you could pick me up," I put on my best pleading voice, "I'll make it worth your while," I said in my sexy voice again.

"okay," he agreed easily and I hung up satisfied, maybe now he was picking me up he wouldn't be checking out that rich bitch, Rosalie Hale, Brent was like the most popular guy in school, I was like the most popular girl, we were just... _meant_ to go out, it was like... expected of us.

I completely tortured Brent on the way to school, it was awesome! I didn't talk to him or even like look at him when I got in the car or when he was driving, he tried to like ask me what was wrong all the time but I totally ignored him and he got like more needy and attentive the more I ignored him. I was Supergirl!

We got to school like five minutes before the bell rang so as Brent parked the car I totally climbed over and like straddled his lap. I put my hands on each side of his face, and started seriously snogging his face off. I started moving my body closer to his feeling my thighs tingling... and then the bell rang. So I totally like dived out the door before he could even say or do anything! And ran into the school, I looked back once and his face was priceless! I couldn't stop laughing all the way to biology.

When I got there I noticed _Edward Cullen_ sitting right in the middle of the classroom. God he was so hot! I made sure my top draped nicely, like so my boobs looked nice and then , like went to sit next to him with a smile on my face. Not like a really cheesy grin though, that would be like totally gross, but a really sexy smile, that I knew like all the boys loved.

He didn't even notice me sit down, he was daydreaming, like totally in another world of his own or he would have noticed me.

"Hi, Edward," I said, he would notice me now, I pushed my boobs out a little, all the guys went straight for the chest area.

"Hey..." oh my god! I had like completely forgotten to tell him my name yesterday!

"Keira," I helped him out, "ready for some biology?" most guys liked the fake enthusiasm.

"Of course," he said then straight away started getting his books out, sheesh what was wrong with him?

I got my pad of paper out as well, it had like a few random scribbles in it, but like most of the pages had been torn out and passed to Brent or other randomers as notes, when I got bored. I hated Mrs. Wainwright and she totally hated me back so I totally eviled the hell out of her as she walked in the classroom like she owned the place. God and biology was just so _boring_ as well.

I started doodling right away, I drew Mrs Wainwright being killed like five different ways before it was even like halfway through the lesson. I peeked at Edward, he was just like so sexy I just had to have him _now!_

I had tutor then another free after lunch, at least this was like a short day! Brent had last period Friday free as well so he drove me home like straight after tutor then he came in and I started like totally snogging him again, apart from biology and not getting to school, today had been a pretty good day!

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p.s - please keep the awesome reviews comming with questions or suggestions or anything like that!!!


	6. Chapter 6 bad day

**Chapter 6 – bad day**

Being at home in a warm, familiar bed hadn't helped, in fact, it seemed to have the opposite effect on me. I would rather have been at the hospital, I dreaded to think what would have happened if I hadn't noticed Bella's raised temperature, I would have at least known what was going on if I was at the hospital, even if there wasn't much I could do to help.

I had got home with my dad at half one last night – no, I apologise, I mean _this morning_ – and immediately trudged up to my room, with all the best intentions in the world of going to sleep, I was exhausted, but rest still refused to even consider gracing me with its presence. I tried to gain comfort from the fact that her dad was with her, and it did help, but not much.

I groggily pushed myself out of my bed when I heard the dreadful buzzing of my alarm clock. I fumbled around on the top of it to try and stop the infernal noise, my fingers clumsy with the remnants of sleep still clinging falsely to my body.

Then I really looked at the clock, oh crap! It said half nine, who had been messing with my alarm clock? I rolled over and opened the drawer to my bedside table and blindly started feeling around for my timetable, what had I missed? I eventually found it when I looked up and saw it was on top of the table, weighted down by my clock. I pulled it from under the clock and stared at it.

Well... that was nice. I had a free first. I guessed someone must have seen this then reset my alarm so I could just go into school for my lessons. I wondered who did it briefly before deciding that the simpler thing to do would be to just ask.

I got dressed in the first things my hands touched, sure that I would pay once Alice saw me but not really caring, then shuffled downstairs, past some still unopened boxes piled in the corner, and into the kitchen for some breakfast. I was famished by this time so I poured myself a huge bowl of cheerios. I sat perched on the edge of the hard, wooden seat with my legs pulled up in front of me and one hand was absently fiddling with the muddy hem of my jeans. I looked over my still half full bowl and stared out the window.

"Edward, she'll be fine, don't worry," I heard my mum's voice pull me from my reverie.

She was stood next to me with one hand on my shoulder. I looked up at her, was I sceptical? Bella's injuries weren't so severe that there wasn't an extremely good chance of full recovery in the hospital, it was practically certain! I knew if it were anyone else I wouldn't be half as worried.

"She'll be fine," she repeated more forcefully, but still as convincing, before pulling me into a hug, "you have a free period last, you could go straight to the hospital from there?" she suggested into my hair.

That made me feel a little better. She let me go and went to get her breakfast, I found after the conversation I had just had that I was able to finish the bowl of cereal in front of me.

We sat in silence as we ate breakfast then my mum said, "was that the girl Alice and Emmett were teasing you about yesterday?"

I blushed and looked down, "yeah," I muttered reluctantly, of course once Emmett had discovered something else he could tease me about, he immediately joined in way too enthusiastically. The really annoying thing was, he had met someone he liked too on the first day, _and_ he had been the most opposed to the move!

My mum came over again and hugged me from behind. She rested her head on my shoulder and freed one hand to pull her fingers gently, soothingly, through my hair like she used to when I was little.

It still eased some of the worry gnawing at my insides, I was constantly trying to hold it in – but the bloody thing just kept trying to get out! It had almost escaped on several occasions but luckily I had caught it just in time before it could do any damage. But all the while it just kept getting angrier, and harder to contain.

Just holding me like this, it was like my mum had put up an extra wall of defences where the thing was caged, like she had thrown it a few snacks to keep it happy for now, started repairing my own natural defences I had used as a cage for my worry... She always knew how to make me feel better.

After a few minutes I sighed and stood up, knowing it wouldn't be long before the effects of my mum's presence had worn off, I just hoped I wasn't driving at that point. Then something occurred to me.

I turned back to my mum, "did you reset my alarm?"

"When you got back it was me and your fathers idea. We could tell you hadn't got much sleep, so, when you finally fell asleep we checked your timetable and reset your alarm so you could get a bit more sleep," she walked over to me and put both her hands on my shoulders, just above hers and frowned, "you still look exhausted, you know I think your father has swapped shifts with the doctor in the hospital in Portangeles who's treating Bella, he was talking about it last night, I didn't know they could do that, but apparently they can if the nurses approve it. He said it would make you a little less anxious."

It definitely worked, not that I thought the other doctor was incompetent, but it helped ease my worry nonetheless. "Thanks," I told my mum before walking out the door.

I sat in English, at an empty desk constantly fidgeting, trying to keep my eyes off the clock but failing miserably. I knew watching the clock would make time go past that much slower, and I honestly tried to focus on the work, but it was utterly impossible. Try as I might I couldn't ignore the woodpecker in the back of my mind etching Bella's name over and over again in the back of my skull.

Once the bell had gone and I had rushed out into the hall, probably my subconscious thought that if I went to break earlier it would end earlier. But my impatience was rewarded as, no sooner had I got out into the corridor, my phone buzzed in my pocket. The caller ID said it was dad.

"Hello?" I said desperately waiting for some good news.

"Hello, Edward, I managed to switch with one of the doctors who is treating Bella, did your mother tell you about that?"

"yeah, this morning while I was getting my breakfast... at half nine."

"Well, we thought you needed some more sleep, Alice said you were pretty torn up about it. But I just wanted to say, she's doing fine son, I've just phoned the school at her request, she wanted to get a message to her friends to stop them worrying where she was. I think you'll be joining a group trip to this hospital once your lessons have finished."

It really was good news and now I couldn't wait for the end of the day, "Thanks."

"No problem, I had been looking to switch shifts anyway," he chuckled.

I chuckled with him, "I guess I'll be seeing you later then."

"I guess so, bye."

"Bye."

I slid my phone shut and turned to Alice who was standing restlessly at my side, "I'm really sorry about teasing you yesterday!" she blurted out before I could even decide what I was going to say to her.

Her out-burst took me by surprise, I had forgotten it completely, except for the time mum brought it up, and I had already forgiven her.

But the look of terror mingled with remorse on her face was hilarious, "Of course I forgive you!" I laughed. The look of relief on her face kept me laughing until we reached the radiator where Ben and Mike were.

"Where's Angela?" Alice asked as the same thought crossed my mind.

"Dunno," said Ben shrugging, "We just came back from town because we both just had a free."

Right on cue Angela came rushing up to us, and then I noticed she looked really panicked and flustered, "Angela what's wrong?" I asked although I had a pretty good idea what she was about to say...

"Guys! Bella's in the hospital!" she screamed breathlessly at us, I was surprised that she had got the message so quickly, and this just brought about my earlier depression in full force as I realised neither me nor Alice had got the message. Well, we had only known her one day, I tried to console myself...

She hates me.

Faceless, voiceless people swarmed around me, and sometimes into me as I sunk in my depression and worry.

I found myself sitting in biology with someone sat next to me, "Hi Edward."

I was brought up to be polite but I just didn't know her name, "Hey..." I let my greeting trail off pathetically, did I sound rude? I couldn't think of a better way to handle the situation, I couldn't think.

"Keira," she supplied, "ready for some biology?"

"Of course," I realised I hadn't even taken my books out of my bag yet.

I felt my sleepless night keenly as I under the table yawning to get my biology stuff out. Again I couldn't concentrate, I couldn't care less what the girl next to me thought of me, or what she did next to me. I just wanted to _go._

After a whole crowd of eternities had leisurely ambled by, and in the process got overtaken by several snails, the bell rang for lunch. What was the point? With my stomach in the state that it was I knew I wouldn't be able to eat. I just couldn't get the image of her lying there all covered in the horrible hospital blankets and the tubes coming out of her arm and and the horrible gauze over her nose and the multitude of scratches covering her face!

I couldn't stomach it, I went outside to get some much needed fresh air. After a few moments Alice came outside, followed by Emmett, to find me staring morosely at nothing much. They leant against the wall beside me in silence for a few moments before saying something.

"Edward, you need to come inside, its raining and the bell's just gone," I noticed for the first time that I was completely soaked through, and shivering.

Oh, great. I laughed at myself, when I really felt like crying, "You go without me," I called over my shoulder as I headed towards my car.

I slid angrily into the seat. I sat there for a few moment just clutching the steering wheel, slowly drowning the chair in the rainwater that was dripping down my body, my now translucent shirt that clung to me like a second skin, my trousers that now chaffed against my legs. I calmed down and decided to go back home, I would get mum to call in saying I had fallen sick or that I had gone home to pine over a girl I had met just a day ago or that I had fallen down a hole or something, I didn't care which.

The house was empty when I walked in, not caring that I was trailing rain and mud all through the house. I stripped and walked straight into the shower, not even waiting for it to warm up. I was already cold so it wasn't the shock it probably should be.

I stood there for I don't know how long, finally being prodded into action by the sound of my mum coming home. It couldn't have been that long, there was not one wrinkle on either finger or toe.

As soon as I was finished I shut off the water, wrapped a towel around my waist and walked back across the landing carrying my wet clothes. I got dressed and laid on my bed confused and frustrated – and of course so full of despair I was leaking everywhere, my room had once been a source of comfort, but now everything I owned looked sad and alien.

Then Alice walked in, "Hey Alice, where's Edward?" my mum asked her in confusion.

"In his room I bet," I heard Alice mutter while stomping up the stairs.

My door banged open loudly and I sat up to look at her, my face expressionless. She stood in the doorway carefully assessing me with her eyes.

"You're coming to the hospital," she stated severely.

I was just relieved the choice had been made for me, on one hand I was desperate to see her, too make sure she was alright, on the other hand I was afraid I would upset her more, she sent the message to Angela, not anyone else.

I sighed as Alice pulled me down the stairs and out the door, I caught a glance of my mums worried and confused expression before I was outside.

"Come on," Alice muttered, "everyone else will be halfway there already by now."

I felt some relief in the car and my previous tiredness washed over me again, my eyelids drooped and I fell asleep in the car with Alice driving.


	7. Chapter 7 visiting

**Chapter 7 - visiting**

**Alice's POV**

I looked over at my brother who had fallen asleep in the car next to me. I glanced over at him and frowned, he still looked really haggard and stressed with dark circles still under his eyes. I felt really bad for teasing him about Bella yesterday, I thought he only liked her cause she was really pretty, but he had been so... distraught last night, I wasn't sure he realised he had been crying when he had carried Bella to the car.

She was really nice and generous and funny as well, a little shy and quiet, but once we got a bit more comfortable around each other I had discovered a lot that I – and therefore my sleeping twin – had in common with her. I sighed, was I going to end up being torn between my best friend and my brother? For she was my best friend here, which reminded me, I still hadn't texted any of my friends since arriving here, but then again I had been kinda busy... huh, none of my friends had texted me either.

I was impatient to get to the hospital, I wanted to see Bella too. I was a little annoyed at Edward for just going home at lunch, I had taken the message that Bella was in the hospital for both of us, even though we already knew where she was.

I flashed my eyes to his face again, he was frowning in his sleep. It had been a good idea to reset his alarm for when he had a free first, I liked to think mum and dad would've done the same for me, but they'd probably say I had too much energy anyway...

I frowned again as I saw what shirt he had on, _seriously!_ I would have to do something about his wardrobe! Did he not _realise_ his shirt didn't go with his jeans? I supposed he didn't care anyway, but _still!_ Sigh, I supposed it wasn't the worst he could have worn.

I pulled into a space in the hospital car park and turned to gently shake him awake, when I saw my dad outside jogging over towards us shaking his head. I stopped confused, what was he saying no to? I rolled the window down and leaned over Edward to hear what my dad was saying.

"Don't wake him, yet, let him get some sleep, it's the most peaceful I've seen him since before we moved here," he whispered, I glanced at Edward, still with a slight frown on his face, and silently nodded.

I undid the seatbelt from around my brother, and gently laid his seat back a bit before I quietly got out the car leaving the keys under Edward's hand.

"I didn't know you had a maternal side," Carlisle muttered amused, "especially for your brother."

"He's my younger brother, its my job to take care of him when he needs me," I defended myself jokingly as if I were years older than Edward rather than minutes.

"Only by eleven minutes, and he's been an older brother to you more than Emmett has, or than you've been an older sister to him," he reminded me seriously.

"Yeah, I know," I admitted with a small twinge of regret, I remembered my teasing and my rant about his clothes, I decided I wouldn't say anything to him about that.

This was the first time he had been so vulnerable, the first time I had really been there for him and I wasn't even doing it properly! I remembered the times I had teased him when his voice was breaking, shown all his most embarrassing baby photos round school on his sixteenth birthday, even stolen his diary with Emmett and started quoting it to him for a whole week, what made it worse, was that when Emmett stole my diary Edward had tricked the diary out of Emmett's hands and given it straight back to me.

I had been a horrible sister to him, I thought as I remembered when I first grazed my knee, Edward had held me while mum cleaned my knee and never complained about the nail marks still in his arm nearly an hour later. I remembered when I had lost my first tooth, Emmett had told me that my tooth had gone rotten and I would have a gap there forever, but Edward had comforted me and told me about the tooth-fairy. Even recently I remembered he took me to prom when he really didn't want to go, and he stayed the whole time even though I abandoned him once I got there.

Dad led me through the hospital the quick way to Bella's ward, without enquiring at the reception desk with the moody nurses who glowered darkly at everyone who entered the hospital.

We got to the entrance to the ward and my dad gestured for me to go first. I walked down to the end bed with Angela Ben and Mike seated around it. Oh god, Bella looked awful! You could see the bruises that had developed overnight, her face was all purple and swollen, and looked really sore. I didn't have to fake the surprise at seeing her condition. Her eyes scanned over me and my dad quickly like she was searching for something, I don't think she found what she was looking for because her face instantly fell, yet at the same time she looked kinda relieved.

"Hey Alice," she said shyly.

"Hey Bella," I breathed back.

"umm, this is my doc-" I cut her off.

"My dad," I told her, everyone looked at me in shock. I grinned and out of the corner of my eye I could see my dad smiling as well.

"Well, I'm confused dot com" Bella said to break the silence. We all burst out laughing and I pulled up a chair for me and one for Edward for when he came.

**Bella's POV**

I came round again at about 2:00. My dad had stayed with me in hospital for a while but inevitably, work had pulled him away just as a doctor came in to introduce himself as the doctor who would be taking care of me in the day while I was here and give me some more pain meds.

I begged him to phone the school and get a message to my friends, so they wouldn't worry, even Edward and Alice. I had only known them for a day but I already felt like we were becoming friends, well with Alice anyway. With Edward, I could feel myself falling – well more like diving – for him and he was being so mysterious, I didn't know what he thought of me, he probably thought I was a really weird, crazy stalker person for giving him a message that I was in hospital, but all my other friends had got the message so it wasn't too bad, I hoped.

The good doctor had phoned the school for me right then and there and assured me that the message would be passed on, "When will I wake up again?" I had asked anxious that I would be awake when my friends arrived.

"Early afternoon, about twoish," he had answered, turned out that he was pretty accurate.

My stomach rumbled and I realised I was hungry, I may have been getting nutrients from my drip but that didn't mean it was filling my stomach up as well. I tried to sit up in bed but it hurt, a lot.

A nurse wondered over, "everything okay here?" she asked pleasantly.

"Yeah, but I am a little hungry, could I have something to eat please?"

"Certainly," she walked back over to the desk at the end of the ward and spoke into the phone, ordering my food.

That done, she walked back over to me, "Anything else? Would you like to sit up a little? I've heard you've got visitors coming later."

"Yes please," I mumbled, excited that my friends would be here soon.

I was also a little nervous I realised as I watched the jelly quiver on the spoon in reaction to my unsteady hand. The main course was half eaten and I had moved onto the jelly, just for something different to eat – and because the hospital food tasted god awful.

I decided that although hospitals gave life, they didn't give you much with it, not like parents, or friends, they always seemed to do a three for one offer on life, love and happiness – and fun I added as an afterthought.

The nurse cleared up the food from my bed and my breathing accelerated as it grew closer to the approximate time my friends would be arriving. As my breathing accelerated I noticed a pain in my side, oh the broken ribs, I didn't remember noticing that at the time although I definitely noticed the nose.

I held my breath as I waited apprehensively for my friends' judgement, they were about to walk into the room and I braced myself for the looks of horror on their faces.

"Oh Bella!" Angela cried and ran over to me about to pull me into a huge hug. I cringed back into the fluffy white pillows piled behind me waiting for it to come, but she stopped herself just on time.

My eyes automatically scanned their faces, searching for Edward's, but he wasn't there, I couldn't control the disappointment that washed through me like a tsunami. I was used to the feeling by now, my disappointment was very experienced and had got washing through me perfected, nothing was left. But also, my recovery plan was very experienced and leaped into action after only a few seconds.

We talked for a while, inevitably the story of how I ended up here was told, "so you don't know who dropped you off here?" Angela asked looking almost devastated.

"Nope," I said as casually as I could.

"And he sat in here half the night with you?"

"Yep"

"And he noticed you develop an infection in the night and told the doctors?"

"Yep"

"And he knows you from school?" Angela was in awe at this point.

"Apparently so, I wish I knew who it was, I'd like to say thank you."

"He'd probably like you to say thank you as well! Sounds like someone's got a secret admirer!" Angela teased.

"Sounds like a stalker to me," mumbled Mike, "he probably followed you."

"And let her get beaten up? I don't think so, anyway he had been to the pictures with his brother and sister when he found you right?" Angela defended the mystery man.

"Yep, well, that's what they told me anyway."

We carried on with the friendly banter for a few minutes and then Alice walked in with my doctor. I couldn't stop my eyes searching for Edward Cullen _again._

"Hey Alice," I said shyly wary of her shocked expression.

"Hey Bella," she breathed back.

"Umm, this is my doc-" I felt the need to introduce my doctor to everyone but Alice cut me off.

"My dad," she told us, everyone looked at her in shock. They both grinned at our expressions.

"Well, I'm confused dot com" I said to break the silence. We all burst out laughing and she pulled up two chairs, did she think her dad was going to sit with us? Well, he was walking off anyway.

Alice quickly restarted the conversation, choosing a random but thankfully neutral topic; Fashion. Where Alice was concerned, Fashion always had a capital "F".

**Edward's POV**

I opened my eyes.

It took me a second to realise the car was parked with my seat laid back and my seatbelt undone... OK, that was weird. I felt the car-keys underneath my hand and I was confused at first but then I realised what was going on. I looked at the clock. Dammit! It was 3:00 and I had been asleep for an hour! It only took about twenty minutes to get from Forks to Portangeles.

I practically ran right through the hospital, going straight for Bella's ward. When I was almost there I ran into my dad. I automatically looked through the window to Bella's face, and blanched. Her face was covered in newly developed bruises, she wasn't ugly, but I couldn't stand seeing her like that.

"You look better," he commented, yes I looked better, but Bella looked so much worse.

I looked back at my dad for reassurance, I had never needed it so much in my life,"It's only bruises, she's responding well to the meds we gave her for the infection you found, well done," he pulled me into a hug.

I walked into the ward, "Sorry I'm late," I said sheepishly, "I had a sleepless night last night and I fell asleep in the car."

"You did look really tired at school," Angela commented.

I sat on the empty chair right next to Bella's head, I looked at her, "how are you feeling?"

Panic! Her eyes started tearing up. What had I said? What was so offensive about me asking that seemingly innocent little question? "Bella?" I asked worried.

In answer she grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me into a tight hug, I tried not to touch her side where her rib was broken but she was strong and clinging onto me very tightly and sobbing into my neck. I didn't know where to put my arms so I put one on her shoulder gently and the other stroked her hair.

"Shh sh sh sh shh, its okay," I tried to comfort her like I had comforted Alice many times, not really sure _why_ I was comforting her.

"No one's _ever_ said that to me before," she whispered into my neck.

No one? ...Ever? ...At all? I was reeling in shock still being held tightly by the most beautiful, most fragile, and apparently the most under-appreciated creature in the world.

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**A/N – **OK needing feedback here people! Which bits work well? Wot should I do more of? Wot should I do less of? Wot would you like to see in this? wot shud happen nxt? All ideas and criticism welcome!

and jst out of curiosity, which is ur fave bit?


	8. Chapter 8 guilty secrets

**A/N – **OK you lucky people, this chapter was originally going to go completely differently, but I just couldn't do it, I could see what was going to happen and just couldn't avoid it! I just hope the rest of the story works after this!!

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**Chapter 8 – guilty secrets**

OK that was a lie, the one time I had heard that question I had been ill. My mum had just taken my temperature, "how are you feeling honey? do you want me to go to the shop and get some more medicine?" she had said, always doting on me or Keira whenever we were sick.

I had said yes. Just one little word. How could a three letter word wreak so much destruction in, not just one, but three lives? my mum was on the way back from the shop, impatient to get back to me after waiting in a very long line to pay, she was speeding and the other driver was drunk, so they insisted the blame was equally balanced.

Those were the last words I ever heard my mum say to me.

I was still gripping onto Edward for dear life, sobbing my heart out into his neck. Ugh! He probably thinks I'm a really needy freak who starts crying at everything. I could feel one hand awkwardly placed on my shoulder and the other stroking my hair. I let all the grief and the guilt escape through my tears which were now seeping into his shirt uncontrollably. Each sob hurt my rib, but it was a pain I knew I deserved. He was leaning over me trying to touch me as little as possible.

A nurse came then, she started shooing all my friends away. I was kind of relieved though, I didn't want them to see me break down like this, it was so stupid! I had been told time and time again that my mums death was not my fault, but I knew the truth, if I hadn't have said yes, she might still be alive now. I also knew that if she hadn't been speeding she wouldn't've crashed, but she had been speeding because of me.

My friends reluctantly got up and left muttering "goodbye"s and "get well soon"s and as Edward heard the rest leaving he tried to pull back as well. I wasn't really ready to let him go, he had already soothed away most of the old hurt. It had never gone this quick before. I realised I needed him, no matter what he thought of me, I needed him, I would take whatever he could give me gladly, and not pressure him for any more than that.

The nurse stood behind Edward then, "You can stay Edward if you want to, she told him gently.

"Thanks," he said over his shoulder to her.

He looked back at me uncertainty and concern etched deeply in his face, not like I was a freak. I was filled with hope when I looked into his eyes, warm caramel invited me in, entrancing me into getting lost in their keen depths. I could feel one corner of my mouth pulling up into a half smile, he couldn't hate me that much could he? I saw him timidly smile in response.

"So..." he said uncertainly as he sat down on the edge of my bed, careful not to sit on my legs or move his shoulders from under my hands.

"Yeah, about that..." I awkwardly recounted the day of my mother's death, "it just reminded me of her," I finished the story.

I had a new tear at the corner of my eye, Edward wiped it away with his thumb, a look of pure sadness and desolation on his face, like he was feeling my pain just as keenly. His long fingers still held my face lightly, and ridiculously, I blushed, my skin burning under his touch. My eyes fell away from his face ashamedly. Could he see the guilt on my face as it squeezed my stomach, making me feel sick. This was why I had never told anyone... until now. Ugh! Why did't I just spill my whole boring life story to him?

"It's not your fault," he stated so simply, so convinced, assured, like it was obvious and I should have seen it from the start.

"If I hadn't said yes..."

"You couldn't have known," he insisted.

"It doesn't matter, because of me my mum's dead."

"Bella, she was driving too fast-"

I cut him off, "because of me, she was hurrying back to take care of me when I was sick!"

"You didn't make her speed, and you didn't make the drunk get in his car and drive either. This was completely out of your control," no one had put this much effort into consoling me before, I was taken aback by his insistence, even more by his utter conviction that I wasn't to blame.

It was impossible to doubt his sparkling tawny eyes, "Umm, well, no... I guess not," I said uncertainly.

"There were lots of other major factors, Bella, that made your mum... But you weren't one of them," he carried on a little awkwardly but with no less certainty than before.

I got lost in his eyes, my earlier anguish had lessened considerably, and I felt myself relax into the cushions more, my whole body loosening, apart from my arms which were still locked onto Edward's. His hand had never left my face when he had been trying to comfort me.

Edward's bronze hair glistened brightly in the afternoon sun, illuminated on the one side only. His pale skin shone golden and I swam in rich caramel. This was too intense, I couldn't stop, I couldn't _want_ to stop, even though I knew that I should. My insides, everything that had been destroyed numerous times since waking up this afternoon, everything that my willpower could use to anchor itself firmly, had turned to complete mush.

My heart accelerated and I was glad the sound of the machine measuring my heart rate was turned off, unbelievably, my palms turned slick and my breathing spiked, I barely noticed the dull ache in my side. My hands were gripping him, pulling him closer, even as an alarmed voice in the back of my head watched with wide, horror-struck eyes, screaming at them to just stop and please think about what they were doing before they went any further. But my arms didn't listen. But the voice made sense though, I hardly knew him, what if he didn't like me that way? Too late now.

I was being burnt by lightening jumping between me and Edward, I swore I could hear the crackling...

He was leaning towards me too, I couldn't stop hoping now, our faces were an inch apart. He was supporting himself with the arm that wasn't stroking my face. All he had to do was to lean forward... all _I_ had to do was lean forward...

I could feel myself lean forwards, slowly, oh so slowly. I felt his sweet breath caress my face, and I succumbed to my body, and my heart. I just hoped it wouldn't break, it was too late for my body, but my heart still had a chance, if my heart was whole, my body would heal.

I was mesmerised by his dark, full lips, clearly defined, contrasting with his skin perfectly. They were so _inviting._ Calling to me.

Smooth, delicious, warm, soft. My lips touched his again, I felt no resistance from Edward, he was almost... eager? I found myself winding my fingers up behind his neck, through his hair, clutching him closer to me. I was no longer in control of my body, but the voice in the back of my head had stopped screaming at me, instead she had got herself some popcorn and was settling down to enjoy the moment of hot, passionate heaven, when there was a high pitched squeal of delight from somewhere to my left.

**Alice's POV**

I squealed, I shouldn't've, but I couldn't hold it in.

I had got halfway down the ward before I saw them, then, as fast as lightening, and as loud as thunder, I just squealed. Happy day!

Bella and Edward immediately broke apart, both of them blushing as bright red as each other. And then two sets of eyes were on me, I faltered under pleading, but disappointed gaze of one and the frustrated glare of the other.

"Erm... dad says its time to go," I had volunteered to come get Edward so I could say bye to Bella again, properly this time and because he had the car keys, and I was _so_ glad I did!

Edward sighed reluctant to leave. "Dad says it's time she had some more pain meds anyway," said as a poor consolation, for me dragging him away from Bella.

Right on cue a nurse bustled past me, heading straight for Bella. I followed her still wanting to say goodbye properly.

"Is it time for some more pain meds honey?" she asked patronizingly.

Bella's eyes flashed to mine and Edwards, "Don't worry, we'll come back tomorrow," Edward promised her fervently.

She seemed to accept that reluctantly, she sighed and nodded after a second of staring into my brother's eyes. The nurse deftly injected more morphine into Bella's drip, and walked back down the ward smugly satisfied.

"Good bye Bella, we'll see you in the morning or whenever," I said to her.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow guys," she slurred already being dragged under by the medication.

"Good bye Bella," Edward mumbled almost too late for her to hear.

We walked out the hospital, together only in body. Edward was obviously in a whole other world of his own, one in which he was still upstairs kissing Bella. I was bouncing up and down, I couldn't _wait_ to get details, details and more details. I wanted to get to the car already, so I could interrogate him while he had nowhere to hide!

Oh come _on!_ Just let us get to the car already!

Finally we got to the car, I swore Edward was just walking extra slowly on purpose just to annoy me. As soon as Edward shut the door the words that had been tumbling around my head just burst through my lips:

"Oh my god! _Finally_ you kissed Bella! How was it? Who started it, you or her? Was it really romantic like in the pictures? Did you use tongues?"

"Alice!" Edward protested giving me a filthy look.

"I _have_ to know, Edward! If you were a girl you would understand these things!"

"I don't think I _want_ to understand," he mumbled.

"If you don't tell me then Bella will, girls share everything!"

"If you tell anyone, especially Emmett, you will die," he threatened darkly.

"I'll get the details some how, it'll just be easier for you if you just tell me _now!"_ I whined, I put on my best puppy-dog eyes in an attempt to persuade him, alas it didn't work, it came close, just not close enough, he was to experienced with my puppy-dog eyes for them to have the full effect any more.

"Alice, I'm not going to sit gossiping with you," Edward said firmly.

"You're a horrible brother to me," I sulked, I could tell that affected him even more than my puppy-dog eyes had.

"Alice I love you, even though you are relentlessly annoying, but I'm just not going to do it! I still don't even know how Bella feels about all this."

"Edward, she obviously _likes_ you, or else she wouldn't be _kissing_ you! If she didn't want you kissing her she would've slapped you or something, trust me."

He scowled at me disbelieving, but he still managed to look hopeful. The silence only lasted about ten minutes though before I started begging him again, "please just tell me, who started the kiss?!"

Edward sighed a long exasperated sigh, "I'm not going into details Alice, no matter how many time you ask me!"

I feel the sudden relief emanating out of Edward as my phone buzzed. A text! It was from Angela and she was Worried about Bella.

_Hey is Edward still wiv Bella? Is she alrite? She seemed pretty upset, do u kno wot tht was about? Tb xx_

I immediately started replying, partial gossip was better than no gossip. Edward glanced down at what I was writing, "Oh no you don't," he said and made a grab my phone.

I managed to yank the phone from under his grasp I held it to the extreme left of the car, right next to the door while Edward leaned over me and repeatedly tried to reach for the phone. It was a small car and and I had to keep dodging his hand while I tried to text at the same time. He had almost snatched the phone off me but then we almost went off the road. Edward immediately grabbed the wheel and steered us back onto the road within seconds, he was a good driver but he would never hear those words coming from my mouth.

We both sat there, completely still, panting and staring out the wind-shield in shock. I slyly sent my hurried text, which basically said that Bella was fine and that I had caught her and Edward kissing.

I couldn't stand the silence any more, I racked my brains for something to say, "So do you know why Bella was so upset earlier?" I tried to answer one of the questions on Angela's text.

He shifted in his seat and looked genuinely uncomfortable for the first time, "You'll have to talk to Bella about that, it was... private."

I started to protest again but Edward cut me off with the darkest, most terrifying glare I had ever seen on his face. It managed to shut me up for the rest of the drive home.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N – **I have just realised (someone put this in a review, thnx Tomboy Amy) that I described the car as an English car in the last chapter, also realised I put pounds instead of dollars in one chapter (but you get the idea, the GHD's were really expensive) (and I don't even know if pizza hut is in America – this chapter), so if I make any more mistakes I really am sorry, just imagine it however works for you!

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**Chapter 9 – Saturday **

**Keira's POV**

I was like in front of the whole class, I was like really, really angry with Bella, but I just couldn't remember _why_ - or care to be honest_._ I laughed and shouted at her, I was excited because the whole class was with me, all joining in, doing the same, shouting at her, I felt kinda powerful it was like totally awesome. She had lots of bruises and cuts, and tears like running down her face, as if _that_ could make us feel sorry for her.

I had a really good collection of stones resting in my t-shirt, I threw one, not the biggest one though, I was like saving that for later. My stone like just caught the back of Bella's leg as she ran away.

She ran for a tree and like started climbing it as best she could while we pelted rocks and stones at her. She sat on a branch, unable to go any higher, she was like totally crying and shaking, she was such a _baby! _She was really scared, I laughed again, this was really fun. Why did she have to cry? Ten-year-olds don't cry! I didn't cry when I like got a paper cut the other day!

I decided to throw the biggest stone now, I like kissed it for good luck and threw it with all my strength. _Yes! _It hit her like right on the side of the head, and she fell out the tree. Then she started screaming really loud so I had to cover my ears, an adult heard and started coming over so we all ran away as fast as we could.

Later that day daddy took me to Pizza Hut, just me, without Bella, and I could have whatever I wanted! I went crazy in the ice cream factory, it was so much fun and so, scrumdiddilyumtious! (you got to love Roald Dahl!)

When I had finished eating daddy sighed and looked at me, "Keira I have some very bad news for you," he was really serious, like when he took us here and told us that mum died, was Bella dead?! "Bella's been taken into hospital with a broken leg, and a fractured shoulder."

"She's not dead?" I had to ask.

"No, but she will be in hospital for a long time and she's not speaking to anyone at the minute, she refuses to say even a word, I thought maybe you could get her to speak?"

Why? It was only Bella. I was twenty three minutes older than her, that made me special and all grown up. That was what my mum said to me before school on the day she died.

* * *

The god awful buzzing of the alarm woke me up, from my dream, or flash back, whatever you wanted to call it. I waited for Bella to like turn it off but it just kept on buzzing, getting louder and louder. I groaned in frustration and slapped the damn alarm until it turned off before going back to sleep, sprawled out over like the whole of the double bed.

I heard the creak of the door opening, god what did Bella want _now?_ I opened my eyes and like really slyly peeked at the clock, 12:15, a little early for a Saturday, but like I could totally make up for it tomorrow. I groaned and rolled over to face Bella who was still stood in the doorway.

Only it wasn't Bella. _Daddy!_

I like totally jumped off the bed and threw myself at my dad, "did you bring me any presents?"

He chuckled, "Of course I got you a little something."

He held up the bag and I like totally snatched it out of his hand, I opened it and like pulled out a totally super-gorgeous top! It was aqua blue, and it had like loads of sparkly sequins and it like totally suited my skin tone and it would show off my boobs perfectly!

"I got you a size eight," (I think in America thts a size 4, but not totally sure) my dad said, "I hope its the right size."

I squealed and like ran into the bathroom to have a shower and get dressed. On the way I I grabbed some white jeans and kissed my dad enthusiastically on the cheek.

Like, nearly an hour later I came downstairs with my hair just how I like it, dead straight, and silver eyeshadow on with some lipgloss.

"So, what do you want, breakfast... or lunch?" he checked his watch.

"Erm... I'll do either," either way, I got out of making myself something.

"Er.. good cause I thought we could go to Pizza Hut?" Pizza hut? Oh no, what was wrong?

"Okay," I said like kinda nervous.

The waitress like strutted over to us, "can I take your drink order?"

"Yeah, two cokes please."

"Like, make mine a diet," I added.

I looked at the menu just for something to do, I stared at it like while trying to think just _why_ we were here. After a while the waitress come back with our drinks and asked us what we wanted to eat, I was thinking of like a nice pasta salad maybe...

"Erm, can we have a large meat feast and a... medium Hawaiian please?" dad ordered then like turned to me, "that's still your favourite isn't it?"

"Er... sure," maybe I could like just eat the pineapple...

"I didn't know your hair was blonde now," dad said after a bit.

"Yeah its been like this for like ages," as in like nearly two years.

"Hmm..."

"Dad why are we here?"

"Huh? We're just having some pizza, in fact I have some hairdresser vouchers to give you."

"Dad, you took me here when mum died, when Bella like fell out of that tree and like broke her leg and when she had cracked her head open and needed like all them stitches, what's happened?"

"Well..." my dad was like really uncomfortable and kept fidgeting, but eventually he spat it out, "Bella was found beaten up in Thursday and brought in by one of her classmates."

"What?" oh no, memory _please_ don't come back now!

"Yeah it turns out she was attacked after she finished gym, they broke her nose and a rib."

* * *

I was completely pissed, both drunk and angry. I like giggled a bit at my own pun. I fell over again for like the hundredth time, but Brent, big puppy-dog Brent, caught me. I giggled again and kissed him.

Then I saw Bella. Ugh! She was so pathetic!

"Yeah, she wont bother you any more baby," said Brent. Oh my god did I like just say that out loud?

I was so... _furious! _I could feel the drink like taking over, "I like the sound of that."

Then I was chasing after her, she would pay, after all that she put me through today, how dare she? I let the big strong guys take care of her, but then I like just couldn't stop myself from joining in when she was curled up in a ball on the ground. I aimed a good one at her side while her arm was protecting her head, but then we heard people so we ran away.

* * *

"Oh, right," I said weakly, "do you know who did it?"

"No, I was thinking about visiting her at the hospital later though."

"Okay, do I have to come?"

"Not if you really don't want to," dad's words had me _so_ relieved, what if Bella remembered and squealed? If I was going to see her, I would do it alone.

I was afraid of prison, I didn't think dad would arrest me but his friends might, I didn't want to go to prison! No I was too young! I was too pretty! And the clothes were absolutely awful in prison, I didn't want to be someone's bitch like in all the films!

**Edward's POV**

I sneezed, _again. _

"Bless you," Alice said, _again._

I had a packet of tissues with me but they were already half gone. I had already been to see Bella for a few minutes this morning while she was sleeping. She was recovering well, the swelling had already disappeared, and the infection was almost gone already. She was a fast healer, dad had never seen anyone heal so well and so fast before, it gave me hope.

I stood in front of the cards completely at a loss as to what to get Bella. Angela and Alice were picking up lots of cards – that in some cases weren't even "get well soon" cards – and giggling. They were slowly but surely migrating down to the other end of the shop, leaving me Mike and Ben stood staring at the cards in front of us.

After a while – definitely too long for them just to be choosing a card – Alice and Angela came back with the brilliant suggestion of us getting her a card between all five of us. I was so relieved I completely forgot about the gossiping. I sneezed again.

"Aww, brave little Edward! Suffering through the worst for his beloved Bella!" Alice muttered in my ear.

"You better sleep with one eye open," I muttered back.

We bought some sandwiches for lunch and Angela went to Bella's house to get some pyjamas. Her dad went and got some clean ones for her and said he would be going to the hospital this afternoon.

We arrived at the hospital at half twelve, Bella had been awake for only twenty minutes. She grinned up at us as she saw us enter the ward. Her eyes met mine for a second and then she saw everyone else and she started giggling.

"We have brought you," Angela started off dramatically then started pulling things out of the carrier bag we had brought with us, "a card, some pyjamas, a sandwich and a new book to read."

"Wow, thanks guys, you have no idea how weird it is to be in one of these hospital gowns and the food around here really does suck!" Bella exclaimed gratefully, while she opened the card.

She read all our little messages eagerly then stood it up on the table next to her bed, "Hug everyone?" she asked as she spread her arms wide.

We all complied an leaned in to hug her at the same time, it was a little awkward with the bed getting in the way but Alice and Angela got on the bed and kneeled either side of Bella's legs. I was stood the other side of the bed to Ben and Mike and I couldn't help but notice that Bella's arm gripped my shoulder tightly while the other was just relaxed around Mike's shoulders.

We ate our sandwiches and talked a bit, but not much, and before long Ben and Mike were saying they had to go meet with a friend at the cinema. They were going to see the film Emmett had wanted to watch on Thursday.

"So," Bella turned to me after Ben and Mike had gone, "tell us about yourself Edward, you're new to the area and we know so little about you."

Alice and Angela giggled, "well, me and Alice are twins."

"Not identical I hope?" Bella quipped.

"No, definitely not that, I would be a little worried if we were," Alice and Angela were still giggling uncontrollably.

"What else?" Bella pressed, even she was fighting back fits of laughter, with only a tiny bit more success than the other girls.

"Er... well I play..." I was about to say the guitar but Bella interrupted.

"Really? I thought you were to old for barbies."

"That's what I always tell him," Alice joined in, I had to laugh at that, it was so utterly ridiculous.

"But seriously though, what do you play?" Bella asked after recovering from her laughter with real curiosity in those wide chocolate eyes...

"Guitar."

"Are you good?"

"Amazing, I taught Jimmy Hendrix all he knows," I teased.

"So you play electric then?"

"All kinds really."

"And the piano," Alice chipped in.

I sneezed and pulled out my last tissue just in time. I looked in dismay at the empty packet in my hand. I should probably get some more, but I didn't want to leave, I was having such a good time. I sighed as I got up and threw the used tissue along with the packet into the bin.

"I'm gonna get some more tissues, there are some things I just don't like sharing, and colds are one of them," I said.

"See you soon then," did I imagine the plea in Bella's voice?

I walked out the hospital and almost got knocked over by a delivery boy carrying a box of chocolates and a card for someone.

"whoa, sorry didn't see you there," I said.

"No problemo," he replied and hurried off to the reception.

I had to drive into town to get the tissues, and while I was there I decided to get some sachets of cold medicine which I took – in the correct dosage of course, what do you take me for? A druggie? – as soon as I got back in my car.

"Edward," a nurse called me as I got back to the hospital, I turned around and saw that the nurse from Friday night was walking over to me, "Bella's just been moved to a private room, just so you know, I'll take you there if you like."

"Thanks," I said, she was nice, not like some of the other nurses I could see looking utterly bored behind their desk.

We walked in silence to Bella's room, "She's just in there."

"Thanks," I said again and walked in, all the girls looked up at me, Alice was grinning, Angela looked sheepish and Bella looked dazed.

**Angela's POV**

We had just gotten settled in Bella's new room when a nurse came in with a present for Bella, "This was delivered for you," the nurse set the gift on the table and stalked out f the room.

"Maybe its from the guy who brought you here on Thursday," I suggested excitedly.

I felt a little sorry for him though he probably did like her, but I could see she had a thing for Edward Cullen, and he had a thing for her, even without knowing about the kiss!

"Ha! I think I would know if my own brother had sent her a gift separately!" exclaimed Alice.

Me and Bella looked at her in shock. Bella had phoned me after I texted her saying that I knew about the kiss. We had chatted a bit and then the conversation moved on to us deciding who to choose, the mystery man who brought her to the hospital, or Edward. She went for Edward and I was torn. Then we started imagining what the mystery man would be like. I guess now I wasn't so torn.

"What?" Bella asked, shocked, confused... in awe... delighted...

"Well, me Emmett and Edward were coming back from our weekly night out at the cinema and then when we were getting in the car he saw you collapse and he was off like a shot to get to you, he was pretty torn up about it," Alice explained as both me and Bella gaped at her.

"Wow," I said.

"Wow," Bella repeated, dazed.

Edward entered the room then and we all looked up at him, I felt a little sheepish as we had just been gossiping about him. He stopped and looked confused.

"I have the tissues?" he said to try and break the loaded silence.

We all giggled, confusing him even more, "Right..." he said uncertainly as he came to sit down looking a little uncomfortable under all our stares.

Bella definitely wanted to be alone with Edward, so I jumped up like I had suddenly remembered something, "Oh, I've... got to go," I said quickly and also lamely as I couldn't really come up with a plausible excuse.

"Do you need a lift? I think Ben and Mike took the car you rode up in," Alice joined me as we left the hospital.

In the corridor Alice turned to me, "oh my god they make such a cute couple!"

"Yeah its so weird though, finding out it was Edward all along that brought her in, when she called me we even started imagining what he would be like."

"Really? Who did you think it was?" Alice questioned, looking for gossip.

"I don't know, we said he had to be really caring to be going to the cinema with his sister and his brother, we said he probably fancied her because he stayed there half the night, and he would be really smart and attentive as well because he noticed her develop the infection."

Alice suddenly looked forlorn, "Yeah," was all she said.

"What's wrong?" I asked what had I said? I didn't think I had insulted Edward with what I said had I?

"Nothing. Its just... I haven't been the best sister in the world to him," she admitted looking guilty.

"Don't be too harsh on yourself, I mean, compared to Keira, you're practically an angel," I consoled her.

"Keira? Who's Keira?"

"Bella hasn't told you about her sister?" Alice dumbly shook her head, "well she's just really mean to her, like one time I walked in on them fighting, I don't know what it was about, but Keira had slapped and scratched and kicked at Bella, and when I came in Bella just looked up at me with hand marks and scratches and everything, but she never laid a finger on Keira, she had just grabbed her hands tripped her up lowering her to the floor and sat on her legs so she couldn't kick her.

"Keira's done some pretty serious stuff too, like when we were about twelve she pushed Bella backwards down the stairs, the doctors said she was lucky to get away with so little injuries."

Alice turned her wide eyes staring into mine, "You don't think..." she trailed off horror-struck.

"It wouldn't surprise me, but nothing can be done unless Bella says something, and I know she wont," of course she wouldn't, she was too forgiving.

"Have you said anything to her?" Alice asked worriedly.

"Not yet, not this time, she never listens."

**Bella's POV**

I was grateful to Alice and Angela giving me and Edward some privacy, and now we were sat in silence. I had no idea what I was going to say to him, but I knew it would involve some variation of a thanks and possibly an I love you, depending on how much my brain takes part in the conversation.

"So..." he started a little awkwardly, "what was that about?"

"Erm... thank you!" I just blurted it out, looks like my brain would be absent from this discussion, great, prepare yourself Edward for the craziness to begin, or you could just run, you know, get away from it while you can...

"For getting tissues?" he asked perplexed.

"No, for saving my life on Thursday," I mumbled looking at my hands, I was one hundred percent sure that was bright red, my cheeks felt hot enough to fry an egg, but my curiosity got the better of me, I peaked up through my lashes to see his expression.

He looked flustered, "oh... erm... no problem, just... make sure it doesn't happen again, please?"

I looked straight at him, his face had turned deadly serious and pleading, it trapped me and I found my head nodding of its own accord, the caramel in his eyes swirling with sincerity.

"I'm glad it was you, not anyone else," again, I didn't remember my brain telling my mouth to talk, but just started spewing out the thoughts that were in my head. One side of my mouth pulled up into a sheepish smile.

He smiled back at me, "So am I."

I shifted over to one side of the bed unaware of my own intentions until my hand patted the bed beside me. Edward uncertainly got up and sat on the bed and leaned on the cushions next to me. I couldn't help myself as I leaned against his side.

He felt reassuringly solid next to me, not really hard and buff, I didn't really like the giant radiator thing that most men and quite a few girls seemed to adore, but he had muscles, perfectly defined, enough to make me feel safe and secure in his arms as he gently wrapped one around my shoulders.

The thought pulled me up short, I had never really felt the need to be protected before, well, I suppose getting attacked down a dark alley can make you want some protection. Was that why he was being like this? Because he thought I needed protecting? Well, if that was the reason, then it still suited me while I was in the hospital. I just hoped he still liked me when he didn't pity me.


	10. Chapter 10 best day ever

**Chapter 10 – best day ever **

**Bella's POV**

I really do love him.

I watched his lips mould themselves around the pen he was chewing in concentration. We were doing history homework while the others did whatever homework they had. It turned out he was in my history class too, third on a Friday, I just hadn't known because the lesson had been cancelled.

Charlie had been called away again for work, it said in the card with the box of chocolates. I wondered how he would react to Edward, well, he _had _said he would like to thank him. It was perfect, _Edward_ was perfect.

"Ugh! Why does the past have to be so complicated?" I suddenly burst out frustrated.

"Why indeed?" Edward asked suddenly morose... subdued...

He gazed at the page in front of him, seeing something else entirely. Seeing something sad, or painful, or... I don't know! I said his name a couple of times to get his attention, but with a distinct lack of success. After a couple of minutes he snapped out of it, I didn't really know what to say to him, so I stayed silent.

Edward's phone buzzed. He checked it quickly then sighed, "mum wants us back for dinner," he announced glumly.

Alice got up reluctantly and turned to everyone, "do you need a lift back?"

They all nodded, it was a Friday, they had visited me all through the week – bringing me homework ugh! I was starting to wonder if they actually _were_ my friends with the amount for homework they brought back!

"At least I get to go home Saturday," I consoled them as much as me.

Edward grinned, "I'll come pick you up? I actually think your truck is still in Portangeles."

"Okay," I agreed excitedly, I hoped he would come alone...

I was no longer on as much pain meds so I didn't get knocked out all the time. But I wasn't sure if that was a good thing, sure I was awake and alert when my friends came, but I was also awake and alert when they were at school and having their dinner etc. it was extremely boring.

As soon as they were gone, I felt the boredom and loneliness creep back up on me. I had already finished the book that they had got me – it was very good, Romeo and Juliet gone vampire! – I was a little disappointed that she didn't become a vampire in the end, imagine your true love never being fully able to express their feelings for you, to grow old and die while he stayed young, to always be inferior, to always be the damsel in distress – I hated that stereotype.

My gym friends had come as well, they had met my school friends, which was weird since only two of them knew I actually did gym. I hadn't lied about doing gym, the subject just never came up. That's why I didn't lie to Edward, I don't like lying, especially to my friends, but he was only the third person to notice. And on the first day I met him as well! It had took Angela months notice. But they came even less often, they were training all the time. I felt really bad about not being able to go to the prelims, I wasn't just disappointing myself, I was letting down Lottie and Becky as well.

I hadn't really been lonely and bored until yesterday, I missed my friends, I didn't mind being left alone, but this was just too much. I couldn't wait until Saturday. I sighed as I got up and turned the TV on and found a decent channel. (do they call them stations in America?) then I turned and got back into my bed to eat the slop on the plate, honestly, that stuff didn't deserve to be called food.

Then a carrier bag that hadn't been there until the second I saw it – okay it had probably been there for a bit longer but shush! No one needs to know! – caught my attention. I crawled to the end of my bed and looked inside, this was definitely mine, the card inside had my name on it. So, naturally I opened it.

_Bella _

_I can't imagine you really liking us still after all the homework we've given you, but I swear we were forced into it! But to make it up to you, something that will make your last night in hospital a little more comfortable. _

_Edward x _

Wow. He really was perfect. I looked back in the bag, and found a small tub of lasagne. I was just thinking about how much I hated hospital food.

I was on my third mouth full of lasagne when Keira stormed in, "Oh my god I cant believe you just like left me to starve, for a _week! _I'm like your _sister!_ Sisters just don't do that to each other!"

"Sisters don't beat each other up either," I replied frostily, if she was going to come in here and try and make me feel guilty for _that_ then she had another thing coming.

"I was drunk, you cant blame me for anything I do while I'm drunk! You know that!" she whined.

"Well, I suggest you don't get drunk then, because I'm sick and tired of it Keira! I swear to god, if you do anything like this again I wont be so forgiving," why did I have to have a sister like mine?

"What?!" she screeched outraged by my threat.

"I mean it Keira, you've hid behind excuses for far too long," I tried to stay calm and it actually worked.

"Ugh! I _hate_ you!" she screamed again and stood up to storm out of the hospital while knocking my food out of my hands.

I heard my lovely lasagne go splat on the floor, Edward's lasagne. I hated to do this, she was my sister, the only family I had left, but I just couldn't go on like this. I didn't know what I would do when she did this again – _if,_ I had to be hopeful, just keep thinking _if_ – I wondered whether it would be enough to get her arrested again, that would be simpler, not more ideal, but simpler. If it wasn't, then I hoped I could stay at Angela's house for a while.

My fists loosened and fell limply at my sides. I could feel the pathetic, anger induced tears gliding gently down my red cheeks. It was like they were trying to comfort me, soothing my skin with smooth wetness. But then the comfort turned false as the tears dried and I was left with salty stains down my face as I went to sleep.

When I woke up it was Saturday already, good. I turned my head to stare at the ceiling, I tried to be excited about going home today. It kind of worked, but I didn't really get as excited as I did with Edward and everyone yesterday. I shuffled my feet ready to sit up, then heard the rustling of a carrier bag.

"Morning, are you okay?" Edward asked concerned.

Bugger, he had seen the tear tracks down my cheeks, "Yeah, thanks," I half lied, I was okay now, but he was asking about what had made me cry.

He nodded to the carrier bag on my bed, "Alice had me bring you some clothes and stuff, sorry if they're a bit OTT but Alice will be Alice."

"Thanks," I said considerably cheered by this.

I got washed and changed, he was right, the clothes Alice had given me were definitely OTT. There were some white leggings with lace around the bottom, which finished just below my knee, leaving by calves bare, and a strappy, deep blue top which ended mid thigh. Oh god.

There were blue dolly shoes in there as well, but they were too small for my big feet. So I stood, bare foot, in front of the mirror staring apprehensively at my almost bare shoulders, my bare calves, my arms... you could see all the muscles under my skin contracting as I moved, making me look so masculine, I swear if someone saw me from behind – not wearing this, obviously, and without my hair – they would think I was a small boy.

I pulled out the thick jacket from the bag – at least Alice had remembered that it wasn't quite summer yet – and pulled it on over my shoulders. I picked up the shoes in my hand and walked through the door.

When Edward saw me his eyes widened and I swear his mouth hung open for a few moments before he saw that I was carrying the shoes instead of wearing them, "They're too small," I explained.

"Well, I guess we shall be making a little detour then."

"Why? I'll just put on some shoes and socks when I get home."

"Bella, you're not going to spend twenty minutes in my car with bare feet, hmm, you shouldn't really be walking along the ground with bare feet either," he mused almost to himself.

I started walking towards the exit then, "Edward, stop worrying I'll be fine," but I was secretly pleased he was worrying, even though it was unnecessary.

It was fun being worried about, I kind of liked it, but Edward didn't need to worry. Edward only let me go a few steps before he stopped me and, with extreme care, so much so, that it was near painful to watch. Not because of any of my injuries, his care was not in vain. I couldn't help but giggle as he started walking out of the hospital and towards his car. I looked down at the sharp stones and shards of glass on the ground and was glad that he had picked me up.

My whole body burned, his warm back pressed against my front almost set me on fire. I could feel my legs tingling where his strong hands were holding me and my breathing hitched and broke a little, no one noticed but me thank god.

Amazingly – and kind of awkwardly – he managed to set me gently into his front passenger seat without my feet touching the floor. He grinned satisfied and went to get into the passenger seat, and drove.

"Edward, you're going the wrong way," I pointed out as we turned left instead of right.

"I told you you weren't going to spend twenty minutes in my car with bare feet," he chuckled.

I was going to protest again but he held up a finger to silence me, well, I suppose my toes _were_ getting cold.

I started to wonder how much money was left so I could pay him back, I wouldn't want to be able to only pay back half of the cost.

We parked in Portangeles and he ran over to my side to give me a piggy back, again, all the way to the shoe shop. I giggled again as soon as I was securely on his back again, I pressed my cheek into his neck, it was right there, I couldn't help it! The shoe shop was only a short distance away, and he insisted I wasn't crushing him, so I didn't feel to bad that he had carried me everywhere today.

"Angela knows... about... Friday, I mean," I mumbled blushing, I was supremely glad he couldn't see my face as I said that.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, I tried to stop Alice texting her, but it didn't work, I'm sure she wont tell the whole school if you don't want them to know."

"I don't mind, but what about you? You looked kinda uncomfortable when you came back from buying those tissues."

"So that's what you three were talking about," he wondered.

"That and you saving me on Thursday."

"I honestly didn't stalk you, I didn't even want to go particularly, but I'm glad Alice dragged me along, if I hadn't been there to see you..." he shuddered.

I placed a kiss on the side of his neck, "Thank you, again, for that night and the shoes, I'll pay you back as soon as we get back to my house," I promised.

"Oh no you wont, Bella, I wont let you pay for any of this."

"But... your buying me shoes?" wasn't he?

"Yes and I wont let you spend a penny... unless you really need the loo," I rolled my eyes at his bad joke.

"Are you sure you wont let me pay? I mean we've only known each other a week."

"I trust you Bella... I_... want_ to get you the shoes," he said awkwardly and I could see him blush a little as we walked into the shop, "well, direct me where to go princess, then your wish shall be my command."

He continued with the prince and princess game all the time we were in the shop, he refused to let me do anything myself. Every time I tried to get up from the chair he would gently push me back down again, asking where I wanted to go. Every shoe – which totalled to only two pairs – he would put on my foot for me. It was very sweet. I was thoroughly enjoying myself and laughing all the time, the most I had laughed ever, I had been laughing a lot in the last week, I guess Edward brought it out of me.

After I had been put back on the seat of his car – he still insisted on carrying me even though my feet were firmly and protectively clad in blue converses – and we were driving back to Forks, I couldn't help but be curious...

"So do you mind then?" I repeated my earlier question, embellishing when he looked slightly confused, "About the whole school knowing that we kissed I mean, did you...? have you...? sorry I'm rambling I'll shut up now."

He chuckled, "No, I don't mind... so, does this mean we're officially going out then?" was that hope I heard in his voice? Nervousness about being rejected?

"I guess so," wow I was going out with Edward Cullen and I had only known him a week, it was the fastest time – and only time I suppose I better admit – I had ever liked someone, or loved, yes I was obsessed with him.

When we got to Forks I suddenly realised Edward didn't know where I lived, "Erm... my house is that way," I said pointing down the street we had just gone past.

He grinned at me slyly, "We're not going to your house Bella."

"Oh?" I asked raising my eyebrows, but he just chuckled and refused to answer my questions.

"Right," he said stopping the car at the edge of the road after a minute, he turned to me with a glint in his eye, "look out the window," he instructed.

I did and then a strip of material came over my eyes, I twitched. My hands made it half way to my face before I stopped them, usually I wouldn't.

"What's going on?" I demanded, I didn't mean to be so sharp with him, but I hated surprises, maybe he could tell from the nervous edge in my voice.

"Alice put me up to it, I swear I wouldn't do this to you if I had a choice," he was apologetic as he started the engine again and it made me smile, maybe I could forgive him.

"I guess I cant really hold it against you if you were forced, Alice on the other hand..." I trailed off musingly, I wondered what she had planned and bit my lip.

I felt a spark at my lip as Edward pulled my lip gently from between my teeth. I was so shocked that my I released my lip instantly. I gasped and blushed, even that innocent little touch had my heart racing.

I felt the car slow and come to a standstill and heard the engine turn off. Then I heard Edward get out of his car leaving me alone for a few moments, it was so disorientating. Then the door next to me opened and the cool air hit me, but I forgot about that as Edward helped me out of the car. He was very gentlemanly as he reached over and unbuckled the seatbelt – which in my confusion I had forgotten to do, go me! – I felt his warm body against mine and I sat completely still, enjoying the electricity running through my body, my pounding heart, his the sweet smell of him...

He grabbed my hands and helped me out of the car, then put his arm around my waist and led me a little way back the way we came, I desperately wanted to rip my blindfold off. I heard a few quiet giggles and started to become worried at what lay beyond the scrap of material over my eyes. Then it was removed and I saw all my friends and more stood outside a ridiculously over decorated house with a million and one balloons.

"Welcome home!" they screamed at me before I could fully register what was happening.

I cringed into Edward's side slightly in surprise as he chuckled. I was then hugged by more people than I had ever been hugged by ever in the space of several minutes. Alice made a small complaint about the shoes, even though I told her that hers were too small, but then Edward came to my rescue. I felt a little bad for Edward as he volunteered to take whatever Alice could throw at him... uncomplaining. Wow.

It was the best day I had had in a very long time, possibly even ever. But now it was ending and Edward stood less than a foot in front of me, right outside my door. I looked at my hands not sure I would be able to bear saying goodbye to him. His hand slowly came up to my face and gently coaxed my chin up. I looked up into his smouldering gold eyes for a moment then his honeyed lips touched mine. It was short but still lingering, like he really didn't want to pull away.

"Goodbye," I said glumly.

"I'll see you on Monday," he replied just as glumly, I looked at him startled, what about tomorrow? "Emmett's dragging me to watch some match with him, he's been planning this for ages, I didn't have the heart to turn him down, besides, the alternative at the time would have been an entire day with Alice, _shopping_."

His explanation should have been more than satisfactory, but I was less than enthusiastic about tomorrow, at least I had my rib as an excuse to get out of shopping with Alice, something I got the impression should be avoided at all costs, except Edward.

"Oh, I guess I'll see you Monday then," why did this perfect day have to end?

"Monday I promise," he said as he kissed my forehead then turned to walk away.

I watched his retreating figure


	11. Chapter 11 Monday

**A/N - **thnx for the reviews guys so far!! even if the total is still pathetically small!! lol but it has been pointed out by blueprint12 (i like you! youve reviewed a few times!!!=]) that americans dont use the word loo? in the last chapter, it was a really crappy attempt at a joke and i should really apologize for even attempting that, so, im sorry!!, btw a loo is a toilet.

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Chapter 11 - Monday  
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It was Friday and I was bored out of my head. I really wanted to text someone, _anyone_, but I, like, had no phone. Ugh! I hated my life! I hated that my sister was like a stuck up cow who thinks she's better than everyone else! I hated that my dad was away all the time then decides to come rushing back _now_ for when Bella gets out of the hospital, taking a weeks leave to look after _her!_

I was, like, sat on the edge of my group of friends, I was like definitely going to see Bella tonight, I just had to work myself up to it, that was all. I wanted _so_ badly to, like, throw something right then.

I was gonna, like, skive learning support again today, I didn't feel like going. And Edward's been practically oblivious to me! What is wrong with him? All the other guys at school want this but _no, he_ has to be difficult! Argh!

"Who do you like at this school then?" it was a boy, I didn't know who, so they must not be cool enough, I only hang around with cool people.

"No one," I knew who that sexy voice belonged to though, _Edward Cullen._

"Come on! There's plenty of hot girls here, all blondes," yeah Edward, I'm hot, I'm blonde, why don't you like pay any attention to me?

"I prefer brunettes," oh, so that's why.

"There's still some hot brunettes around."

"I know," yeah and you'll know one more hot brunette on Monday.

I sat next to Edward again in biology third, I tried to flirt again, I did like everything! like I had all week in biology lessons! but it didn't work _again! _Maybe if I were like brunette he would take more notice. I would use those hairdresser vouchers daddy gave me and have them like dye my hair back to brown.

That evening, after school, I went into Portangeles and tried to get an appointment. After like fifteen minutes of begging, threatening, whining – I tried like everything – they were still completely booked up tonight, I couldn't believe it.

Then Brent went and got me an appointment for Sunday. I couldn't wait till then, I wanted my hair dyed _now!_ Why did everything in my life have to be so stupid and awkward?!

Then I did a little kissing in the back of Brent's car, he was such a puppy, it was like getting kinda boring really. He took me out to dinner at Mc Donnalds like I had got him to do all week, cause Bella didn't cook, god she was a bitch! I hated junk food, there were so many calories! And then if I didn't eat anything Brent would start laughing at me, so I just had to eat it all! I put on so much weight over that week.

We were going to go back to Forks but I told him I had to visit Bella in the hospital, he wanted to come with me, but I didn't want him to come. No, I wasn't afraid of Bella! I was like twenty three minutes older than her for gods sake!

I saw her through the door eating a bloody lasagne, and enjoying it! How dare she?! I walked into her room, "Oh my god I cant believe you just like left me to starve, for a _week! _I'm like your _sister!_ Sisters just don't do that to each other!"

"Sisters don't beat each other up either," she hissed totally giving me evills.

"I was drunk, you cant blame me for anything I do while I'm drunk! You know that!" of course it doesn't count when I'm drunk!

"Well, I suggest you don't get drunk then, because I'm sick and tired of it Keira! I swear to god, if you do anything like this again I wont be so forgiving," why did I have to have a sister like mine? Stuck up bitch who like thinks she owns the world, including me!

"What?!" I still couldn't believe what she said, she was so evil, was she really threatening me?

"I mean it Keira, you've hid behind excuses for far too long," excuses?! She thinks I'm like the shit on the bottom of her shoe! Skank!

"Ugh! I _hate_ you!" I screamed again and stood up to go out of the hospital while like knocking her stupid food out of her skanky hands.

I ran out to the car and like shouted at Brent to take me home. I didn't say anything to him I was like way too angry. I got home and went straight to my bed. Oh _joy_, Bella's coming home tomorrow!

But the whole day went past and she didn't come home. And then I was like getting ready to go out. I had on like my fave silver sparkly dress, it was good cause it showed off my boobs, bum _and _legs, not many dresses do that. I put some leggings on underneath and wrapped a large coat around me, so daddy wouldn't like throw a fit when he saw me.

I got out of the house without being caught and like started putting on my make up in the car. I took off my leggings and I could like see Brent watching my legs in the mirror, hehe!

I don't remember much from then on cause that's when we started drinking, Jessica had like nicked a bottle of vodka from her parents...

It was Sunday and it was like two in the afternoon. Shit! I had my hair appointment in like an hour!

I looked in the mirror, oh god my hair was totally, completely.... gorgeous!! I loved it, it was so straight and shiny and silky and shiny and sleek and silky! And it flicked in at the ends and shaped my face perfectly! I was sexy and like totally luscious! Edward won't be able to resist this!

I got back and Bella was like eyeing my new hair, god what was her problem? I forgot how well brown goes with my face, I was looking in the mirror still. I was trying out different expressions, which was the best?

Even though Bella had had the like the whole week off, lying in a stupid bed, she didn't cook, we had pizza. Stupid calories, stupid, lazy Bella!

Monday morning was not good. I had left like all my make up in the car last night so I had to use the crappy stuff that I like totally hated, and then dad had caught me like five times and told me to change! I had like completely given up and changed into some of Bella's clothes as a joke but them he told me I was going to school like that! I could _not_ believe him!

Dad drove me to school, grr I hated this! He was acting like I was like five! I like _finally_ got out the car and almost ran over to my friends, I like saw them standing around Brent's black Audi, and then they saw me.

"woo, Bella has boobs!"

"and make up, she's definitely looking sexy today!" the wagged their eyebrows at me, oh my god I cannot believe they thought I was Bella!

**Edward's POV**

Alice had told me that Bella was back in school today, but I had to see for myself. I was so glad she was here but shouldn't she be resting?

She turned to me and I noticed her hair was different, it was short and spiky, a little like Alice's but longer, and brown.

"You got a haircut," I stated while giving her a hug and releasing her, I wasn't sure I liked it though, it just didn't seem like something she would do.

She grinned up at me, "Hi Edward," she leaned closer to me.

"So, history first then?"

"Yep," she nodded, "I like forgot the homework though, could I like copy yours?"

"Sure," I said automatically, though this wasn't like Bella, I had seen her do it myself.

History passed and Bella seemed really weird, she didn't take any notes, she giggled and fluttered her eyelashes at me constantly, she was even stroking my arm. Her behaviour was really off and as soon as the bell went, I stood up immediately and walked out. She soon jumped up and followed, we left our stuff there because we had history again after break.

In break she wouldn't let go of my arm, and she smelled of smoke? Maybe her dad smoked or something. But she wouldn't shut up, she went on in a falsely high pitched voice about something trivial, like make up or something, like it was the most important thing in the world.

In PE third, she sat on the sidelines watching because of her rib, and she wouldn't stop grinning and waving at me. It was quite irritating, not like before when she grinned at me, my heart stopped and I practically melted on the spot – I know, I'm pathetic, no need to go on about it! But this was different and she was constantly twirling her new, short hair around her fingers like she was three, but not at all that cute.

What was wrong with me? I only just got her and now I was aching to get rid of her! I decided to hang on till the end of the week, if she was still unbearably annoying I would dump her, I know it sounds really harsh, and I wont enjoy doing it but still, I would enjoy staying with her even less. Okay, okay, that still sounds really callous.

I sat next to Ben in tutor, I didn't even know why we had tutor, we never did anything in it. I wonder if anyone else noticed Bella's strange behaviour today. I turned to see him laughing at something Mike had said, I hadn't heard what was so funny but I didn't really care, Mike was annoying.

"Did Bella seem a little strange to you today?" I asked him quietly, although the teacher didn't care that we were talking and doing practically nothing constructive, he would tell anyone off for being too loud.

"Yeah, I guess, she had a haircut, and she was all over you! Well done mate! What did you do?"

"I asked her out?" my uncertainty made it sound like a question.

"Wow, I wish I had that effect on girls," he said slightly wistfully, then turned back to his conversation with Mike, completely unhelpful in any way, shape or form.

I avoided Bella after tutor, we both had a free, all our year had a free, but I quickly escaped to my Volvo and waited for Alice and Emmett. She walked out of school slowly with Angela, not Bella I noticed with relief, then a whole lot of guilt. But she was eyeing someone out the corner of her eye, I scanned across the scene to see a tall, lanky blonde guy looking back at her. Should I give Alice grief for this? No, if Emmett finds out she'll have enough to go through with that alone!

Emmett was only a few seconds behind her, walking with his arm around a blonde girl who was kind of beautiful, but she appeared utterly plain when I pictured Bella's face the first time I had seen her. The same Bella I was avoiding now. It was like she was a totally different person.

I waited, a little tense, for them to get in the car, Alice immediately, and predictably, launched into a lengthy monologue, which ended – I couldn't be bothered to listen to the beginning half, it would be completely irrelevant by the time I had to answer – with "so Bella was being really weird today, I wonder what has gotten into her? I thought she had picked up a little fashion sense over the weekend or her dad had treated her and taken her shopping or something, but she was acting completely different as well, I knew she liked you before but she was always kinda shy, and she blushed like constantly, whenever anyone mentioned your name or if she looked at you! But not one blush today! And she was wearing make up! I had tried to convince her to wear make up before but she was really doubtful about the whole idea! Well, maybe it was the party or something someone said to her," she finished.

When she mentioned Bella blushing I could feel the slight stutter of my heart, I still liked knowing that Bella liked me too, just today she was being... not Bella! I still felt the desire towards her, but when I pictured her in my head, she was the Bella I knew before, the one I had known and loved up until today.

"I know, I noticed it too," she could hear the frustration and annoyance in my voice.

"Is this the girl you've been pining after all week?" Emmett butted in.

"I have _not_ been pining!" I set him straight.

"Yeah, right!" I rolled my eyes at his remark deciding I didn't have the energy to argue any more.

The rest of the car journey home was quiet, not silent, but quiet. What had happened to Bella? Maybe she was just in a weird mood or something...

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**A/N- **i know the A/N's must be really annoying but if u press the little green button below, they get shorter and the chapters get longer.... just like magic!!!

ok i know that sounds a bit lame but seriously!! its kinda disappointing when you read other peoples stories and they have loads of reviews and are still begging for more, and then you still have a pitiful amount =[


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N – **thnx for the reviews guys!! heheh, begging really works! So, massive shout out to -

carliecullenx

mouse555

blueprint12

Tomboy Amy

KillerChaos

KayBayyy2342

futurecullen26**  
**Dimitri's-Little-Sister-Jackie

supernatural33

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**Chapter 12 - **

What happened? It was Wednesday and I was depressed and lonely again. A few tears had fallen already but I had fiercely wiped them away. I was being stubborn, trying not to lets my friends' silence get to me, but I was failing miserably.

I had received not one visit, phone call or text. I'd had a glorious time at the party on Saturday, well, I'd had a brilliant day altogether. Being with Edward – alone or with friends, it didn't matter – was truly the best that life could get. I briefly remembered my whole face burning as he lifted my chin, I remembered how it was pure heaven yet still not enough, how I wanted to stay there forever... then I remembered the distinct lack of contact with him since then. What had I done to upset him? I went back to staring dejectedly out the window.

At least if he didn't want to see me again he could have let me know right? Just a call would have been enough. I was desperately missing him most of all, and my friends. I would have thought they would have at least called if they weren't coming round. Maybe they just got sick of me, maybe Edward just got sick of me.

I stared at the raindrops slowly working their way to the bottom of the glass, dodging and sometimes collecting more raindrops on the way. The world outside was black and grey, and made up of strange twisting lines, distorted my the drops on the window. The window could have been me, it was crying, tears running jerkily down it's surface, and beyond a bleak world of discomfort and coldness.

The clouds overhead were a dark purple, indicating an angry thunderstorm on the way, the livid strikes of lightening swift in their strike, followed by the vehement crashes of thunder. Who knows maybe I will find some anger in me somewhere, doesn't seem likely though, I feel hollow, empty.

I turned away from the tear streaked window and sighed, my phone said it was 5:45, I might as well make a start on dinner. I went through the motions mechanically, repeating the process I had done countless time without any thought directed towards peeling the carrots at all.

I was remembering last Sunday.

It had been raining then too, surprise surprise, but Angela and Alice had come over, we had finished off the last of our homework, then got some popcorn and watched all three pirates of the Caribbean films. It was really fun, but it would have been more fun if my dad wasn't looming over us making sure I did so physical exercise whatsoever, it was a miracle he let me go the the bathroom on my own.

I sighed and resumed my chopping of the vegetables, which had – completely unnoticed by me – ceased in my distraction. The rhythmical sounds of cooking surrounded me, the regular scrape of the knife through the flesh of the vegetable before the sharp smack of the blade hitting the chopping board. Soon I could hear the sizzling of a variety of vegetables cooking in oil, my arm was just beginning to slightly ache from stirring the pan continuously.

Ten minutes later I was serving up the food onto three plates, I put cling film over the two that I wasn't going to eat then sat at the table to play with my food in bleak silence. I was usually comfortable with silence, but it hung heavy and thick around me, foreign, oppressing me. I wanted someone to talk to.

I wasn't high maintenance was I? I didn't demand being talked to 24/7, I could survive a few days alone, it was easier when I knew my friends weren't ignoring me on purpose and still liked me. Of course I had no proof my friends were ignoring me, nut it felt that way. God I was pathetic.

Dad came home after I had finally gotten fed up of staring at a mostly full plate and tipped my dinner in the bin, "Bella?" his tone implied there was more to come, so I looked up from the telly and gazed at him expectantly.

"Do you need anything from the shop? I think we've run out of hot chocolate," he asked.

"Yeah, sure, some hot chocolate would be great thanks," I replied.

"What kind do you want?"

I tried explaining three times what kind I usually got from the shop but in the end I gave up and decided it would be best if I just went with him and got it myself.

I hesitated at the door, it was cold outside, I could feel the icy air hitting my face. I was wrapped in warm clothes, so I shouldn't be worried about going outside because of the cold. But I still felt apprehensive about leaving the house.

Dad looked back and noticed me dithering at the door. I sighed and gently came back, put his arm hesitantly around my shoulders and led me to the car at the end of the drive. I automatically cringed into my dad's side, but it only helped minimally, I still felt the choking panic as he led me to the car.

In the car was better, I sank into the seat, wanting it to wrap me up in a protective shell. I looked out the windows warily watching the lights travel past, single bright points of light passing me by, taking the warmth and protection they offered with them.

Again I was pathetically reluctant to leave the secure metal cage of the car, but dad eventually, coaxed me out and accompanied me to the shop. He never said anything to me, I could feel his understanding in the way he held me, but I could also imagine the insults and threats in his head directed to my attackers... aka Keira and her mates.

**Edwards POV**

I couldn't control the grimace on my face as I heard Bella's high pitched voice carry across the car park, it was more of a wail really. I couldn't stand this any more.

We had three subjects together, that totalled twelve lessons, twelve hours of sitting next to that. Who was she and what had she don't to the real Bella? This new Bella expected everyone to fall to their knees and worship the very ground she stood on, whereas before she was always so shy and considerate. And funny I realised as I remembered the day in the hospital when she accused me of playing with barbies, and numerous other witty remarks she threw at me playfully when I visited her.

I remembered, the deep, unconsciously seductive blush that crept over her skin whenever she was embarrassed which was practically all the time. I remembered her clear skin, completely – and rightfully – devoid of make up. I remembered her aversion to attention and Alice's make over/shopping schemes, which she now seemed to be eager for. But even Alice found her annoying.

Bella's new found eagerness to shop hadn't cancelled out all the other annoying qualities that had recently surfaced. I just couldn't take it any more! I know I had promised to leave it till the end of the week, but one day wouldn't make much difference right? Apart from driving me to maybe commit suicide.

I quickly got into the car, Alice and Emmett got into the car a few seconds after me and as soon as they were in I was driving off. I had a look of pure, determined concentration on my face and Alice guessed what I was about to do, she was good at that.

"Please tell me your dumping her! In the hospital she was so sweet before but I don't think I could live if you carried on going out with her!" Alice pleaded with me as we left the school grounds.

"Oh don't worry I plan to," I said it probably a little harshly, my annoyance was still thick in my voice, but since I was agreeing with her she should know I wasn't angry or annoyed at her.

"How?" I realised I had no idea about the best way to go about doing this.

"Just knock on her door and say; _hey Bella, your dumped! _then walk away, simple as," Alice grumbled.

"I know she's really, _really _annoying, okay, I know that doesn't even cover it but still, isn't that kinda mean?"

"_She's_ kinda mean, she deserves it! Do you know how many people she's made cry this week?"

I tried a different tact, "I don't want to stoop to her level."

"Fine!" she conceded, pouting, "just knock on her door then tell her you need to speak to her privately then just let her down gently or something like that."

"Okay," I chuckled, I couldn't help it.

I drove home and sat in the house thinking about it, I was kinda nervous, well, more like torn. Should I wait and hope the beautiful, angelic Bella would come back, or escape the evil Bella while I could? In my mind I compared the two Bella's.

They even _looked_ different. I mean apart from the clothes and make up, but facially they looked different. The Bella before, _my_ Bella was beautiful, and had a face you would instantly like and crave the company of. But this Bella, one look at her face would send you running as fast as you could in the opposite direction out of disgust.

But the biggest difference – apart from the personalities – was that my Bella had beautiful brown eyes that were endless in their depths. One look into those chocolate pools had you captivated, mesmerised into staring into them for ever, hoping to find how far her goodness reached, and not finding the answer because it was unfindable. It was infinity.

The new Bella had flat brown eyes that made looking into them feel like you had just ran head first into a brick wall at full throttle. They made you want to look away instantly. I was repulsed by her, even the annoying girl in biology – who was absent all week – would have been preferable. Was it Keira?

Then I remembered my biology assignment. I had to contact her somehow, _oh great!_ I groaned as I went to find Alice, procrastinating dumping Bella as if that would some how make it easier.

"Alice," I called outside her bedroom, it was an unspoken agreement between me and her not to enter each others bedrooms unless specifically invited by the owner of the room.

"Yes?" she appeared outside her door.

"Do you know a Keira at our school? She's in my biology class and I have an assignment to do with her, but she's been absent all week."

Alice's eyes narrowed, she was speculating, "hold on a minute, wait for me down stairs, I think I know where she might live, I just have to check with someone," she practically pushed me down the stairs.

I waited downstairs for only a few moments, enough for me to eat a packet of crisps. Then Alice came storming down the stairs, a woman on a mission. She caught my hand and dragged me outside without breaking stride, and before my brain had chance to catch up she was already ordering me to drive.

I quickly obeyed, not willing to cross Alice when she was like this, for someone so small she could be incredibly intimidating. In the car she doled out the directions through tight lips... and then we turned onto Bella's street.

"Does she live next door to Bella then?" I asked.

"No, she lives at number ninety eight."

I scanned the fronts of the houses and my eyes froze when they saw the number ninety eight in wrought iron lettering – or numbering – on the front of Bella's house.


	13. Chapter 13 fight

**Chapter 13 - fight**

**Edward's POV**

did Bella have a sister in the same year? Was she a twin? I struggled to recall the appearance of the girl I had never really paid much attention to.

I was suddenly nervous, in a few minutes I would have to do the very thing I had been trying to avoid by looking for Keira and then we would have to endure the awkwardness of me being in the same house as her. And what if she took it really badly? I hoped I would be able to convince Keira to come over to my house.

With a sigh I reluctantly got out of my car, Alice stayed firmly put, a good seat to watch the show that was protected from anything that may go flying her way, I didn't know what she expected; a fist? A foot? Maybe something more solid that could easily be found in a front garden, or perhaps just anger? What ever she suspected, she made sure she was going to avoid it. _Coward._

I shut the door, hearing the sound of the door shutting, the finality of it... it sounded like I was going to face a firing squad, not a bratty teenage girl. OK I know bratty doesn't even begin to cover it but it was the first word that popped into my head.

I made my way to the door, half hoping it would be Bella that opened it, half hoping it would be Keira. The walk seemed to take an age yet I was dreading the moment I would arrive at her door, which still came far too soon.

I looked back at Alice safely sat in the car, watching me with... apprehension? Or excitement? Either way she was eager for me to do this. I took a deep breath and turned to knock on the door.

The knock was too loud, it seemed to echo down the street, urgent and demanding. I slightly cringed at the sound, whatever happened now I couldn't back out. Oh for gods sake! I'm only dumping someone!

The door opened and Bella's ugly face appeared in the crack, it was hard to believe I thought of her as beautiful once. Her features were twisted into a grin that looked scarily evil.

"Eddie!" she cried as soon as she saw me, I grimaced at the name.

"It's Edward," I corrected her bluntly.

"Oh, Eddie, I'm your girlfriend! I'm allowed to give you a nickname, you don't have to be like all manly for your mates you know, they're not here."

"Bella, I don't think we should go out any more," rip it off fast, like a plaster.

"What! Why?" she sounded more outraged than upset.

"Because your not _Bella, _I don't know who you are but the Bella I fell in love with, the Bella I asked out, isn't there any more... sorry, but I just can't go out with you," well, that was what I meant to say anyway, but before I could finished she grabbed my top and pulled herself up to kiss me.

Well, I think that was what she was going for anyway, but, to me it kinda felt like a head-butt gone wrong. Instantly repulsed, I pushed her off me, but she came at me again, this time interlocking her hands behind my neck, I felt violated.

Then something strange happened.

Bella's head pulled away from me rapidly and her arms flew from my neck to the back of her head. Bella turned round then her head snapped to the side, she had been slapped. Then I think my heart stopped.

The most beautiful face in the world, one that I hadn't seen in nearly a week, tear streaked and angry, was glaring at the stranger who had just assaulted me. Then it clicked.

Oh! Bella had an identical twin sister, and the last week she had been pretending to be Bella. I felt sick to my core that I had even considered that she was Bella. Relief, anger, disgust, remorse, love, they all overwhelmed me. Relief that my Bella was still alive, anger and disgust at her sister – who I now guessed was Keira – for impersonating Bella, remorse for actually falling for it and basically abandoning Bella and love, just the sight of my Bella could reduce me to mush. It was kinda embarrassing really.

I zoned back in to find both Bella and Keira on the floor, Bella looked like she was winning but Keira was trying to go for her rib. I gently pulled Bella off her sister, whispering apologies in her ear, I wonder if she heard over Keira's screeching.

"But you said sisters weren't supposed to beat each other up!" when had she said that?

"You're not my sister!" she hissed back, the venom in her voice was starling.

She ripped herself away from my arms and ran into the woods, I immediately took off after her, knowing that if she got a good enough head start I would never be able to catch up. I heard Alice call out to me to leave her to cool off a bit, but I wasn't going to let Bella run off into the woods on her own. I didn't care if I had to face the full force of her anger, not only did I deserve it, but I would gladly take it just to be sure she was safe. I followed her quite a way into the woods, at a distance, I made sure I could always see her back through the trees.

**Keira's POV**

Oh my god, Bella was like so annoying! She had just tripped over nothing and fallen straight into me! And she was like holding some ice cream so that went all over me! I just like shouted at her and went up to change my clothes, Edward had been avoiding me, so I could like kinda tell he he was planning something, maybe he would like take me somewhere really romantic! Maybe a posh restaurant or a picnic! OK what would I wear? It would be like so embarrassing if he took me to a fancy restaurant and I was like dressed for a picnic.

I like stomped upstairs and looked in my wardrobe, that was like even worse! Bella hadn't done like _any_ washing! I was totally going to kill her when I got back. In the end I like dressed normally – that I used to wear before daddy came back – because I wanted to look surprised, boys always like surprising me. Then I sat down near the door, like totally waiting for Edward to come.

Bella was still clearing up the mess on the kitchen floor when the doorbell rang, I like jumped up right away to answer it.

"Eddie!" it was my nickname for him, boys always like feeling that they're the only one.

"It's Edward," how cute! He was trying to be big and tough and macho, but his mates weren't here so he didn't have to impress anyone.

"Oh, Eddie, I'm your girlfriend! I'm allowed to give you a nickname, you don't have to be like all manly for your mates you know, they're not here."

"Bella, I don't think we should go out any more," huh? Was he seriously breaking up with me? OK where were his mates? This was a joke right? It had to be! only he was like completely serious.

"What! Why?"

"Because your not _Bella..." _blah blah blah! He was all wrong, backwards! Maybe if I kissed him he would make sense.

I like grabbed his top and stopped his rant. I kissed him, I was a great kisser, but he was playing hard to get! Oh how cute! I like wrapped my arms around his neck, he _was_ going to like this, he_ was_ going to kiss me back!

Then someone was like pulling me off him by my hair! How the hell dare they! I like turned on the slut and I could not believe it when Bella, _Bella, _slapped me! I mean my own _sister_ like actually _slapped_ me!

I stood there in shock for a few seconds, she had never done anything like this before. Then I tried to slap her, she couldn't slap me then get away with it! But she moved and I like caught her with my nails, two of them like even fell off! It took me ages to glue them on! I looked at her and like couldn't stop myself from smirking, I had drawn blood.

I shrieked at her and grabbed her hair, she yelped and tried to prise my fingers off her, but I like wouldn't let go. In the end she like gave up and kneed my in the stomach, then she like dragged me, by the arm that was still attached to her hair, to the ground.

I was scratching at her face and tugging at her hair then she like brought her fist down on the top of my arm. Pain shot down my arm and it like made me let go of her hair, then I remembered her rib. I like tried to hit it once, twice... but then Edward was pulling her off me, whispering something in her ear, bitch! What is he saying to her?

"I thought sisters weren't supposed to beat each other up," she said it herself, she couldn't disagree.

"You're not my sister," she spat back at me, what the hell? Was it my fault if I kissed like the best looking guy around? Was it my fault I liked to drink with my mates?

Then she ran off, stupid little skank! and Edward like ran after her! He wasn't supposed to, I was the pretty one, I was dressed to please! Why didn't he want me? His sister shouted something after him but like I cared! They could all go to hell! Then she looked down at me, was she going to like help me up or not? I had just been in a fight, a little help would be like good you know? But _no,_ she eviled me until I like got up by myself and went inside, like not giving her a second thought.

When I was inside I looked out the window like once and saw the slut was back inside her car, well good.

**Bella's POV **

I looked out the window and saw who Eddiewas. My heart fractured a little, Edward was stood there in all his glory, talking to my sister, who was basically up to her usual guy-tricks. I scanned the road – reluctant to have my eyes away from Edward even for a second, even though I knew he wouldn't stay and even though he probably regretted going out with me – and my eyes met Alice's, she was staring between me and my sister looking speechless, but oddly triumphant at the same time.

I heard my sister's high pitched whining, "Oh, Eddie, I'm your girlfriend! I'm allowed to give you a nickname, you don't have to be like all manly for your mates you know, they're not here."

Huh. So now he's going out with her? Couldn't he have at least _called? _I mean, I know I can't keep him forever, but a little courtesy would be nice.

Then he started speaking, I heard only the first word before I was overcome with shock, which quickly decayed into anger, and downright murderous rage. He called her _Bella!_ My own bloody _sister_ had stolen my life from me! Before I knew it I was marching out the front door – tears of betrayal streaming down my face – to my sister, I grabbed her hair and pulled her off _my boyfriend_ who looked like he was trying desperately to escape her molesting.

I noted this in the back of my mind for use later, I ignored this information for now, I had more important things to do, such as slap that silly little grin clean off her face!

I wasn't usually a violent person but I shocked myself, as well as my sister. But I didn't let that show, the shock was only a small insignificant part of me that was easily drowned out by anger and betrayal... and blood-lust – OK a little over dramatic there but I think I have a right to be a little over dramatic.

I didn't think, I just did. I remember scratching and thinking my sister fought like a cat, I remember her pulling my hair so I hit the part of her arm where her nerves were most exposed, more pain with less damage.

I felt strong arms restrain me and pull me back into a secure cage, but my sister had other plans, "I thought sisters weren't supposed to beat each other up," what?! How dare she repeat what I said in the hospital to her! That wasn't the first time I had been hospitalised by Keira, far from it! She had been drunk and blamed her violence on that, she had got three burly friends to help her! And now, she thinks she can steal my life, my boyfriend? That was out of order!

"You're not my sister," I put all the pain I had suffered ant her hands – emotional and physical – over the years into that sentence, the result brought me up short and I ran away.

My emotions – I wasn't entirely sure what they were, I was too confused – spurred me on, deeper and deeper into the woods. Eventually I felt my emotions ebb, a little piece was being left behind with each step.

I slowed my anger heart break and disgust – I think – had dissipated quite a bit, and were now being replaced by doubt and fear. I had just semi-publicly disowned my only sister, I had basically been reduced to an animal in front of Edward... who had been kissing my sister. I tried to block out the wave of emotions threatening to overwhelm me and control me again as I tried to remember with at least some objectivity and clarity what had happened. Then Edward's voice came back to me, I was surprised since I hadn't been able to hear anything over my rushing blood boiling in my ears, but I heard what he said... he though Keira was me.

I didn't blame him, even Charlie couldn't tell us apart, when she was blonde! He said he kept forgetting which if us had dyed our hair.

I sighed as best I could while still running. I had automatically settled into my running stride, which I would still be comfortable in for a while yet. The rhythmical pounding of my feet on the ground helped clear my head.

I decided after a while I should probably go back, to start packing, if my friends thought Keira was me then surely they didn't hate me? Or did they really not like Keira? I suppose I could explain to them, I had proof in my hair, it was longer than hers.

I stopped, maybe I should think about this while heading back. Ugh, but I didn't want to go back! I inhaled slowly, trying to breathe in calm and breathe out the stress. Then I heard footsteps behind me, accompanied by slight panting.

I turned around and Edward was making his way through the trees towards me... does that mean he didn't hate me? After the shock wore off and I could see the concern clearly etched on his face, I was almost sure he didn't hate me. I couldn't stop a smile spreading over my face at the sight of him, knowing we still had a chance.

"Bella!" his voice was saturated with relief, then his brow furrowed, "you're bleeding," he stated.

My hand flew to the side of my face where I suddenly became aware of a small trickle of blood trailing towards my jaw, "Oh, its nothing Keira just scratched me that's all."

He stepped forward, hesitant, but like he couldn't stop himself, "are you okay?"

I knew he didn't just mean physically, but as soon as I thought about it I was overcome again, I broke down, right in front of him. I was expecting him to keep his distance, I wasn't expecting him to come and wrap his arms around me. I also wasn't quite prepared for how much better I felt once that happened. Once he had pulled me into his chest, and I could feel his strong arms around me protecting me from the outside world, once my tears had somewhere else to land, somewhere safe and comforting – as well as brilliant and perfect etc. but I was concentrating on the safe and comforting aspect of Edward at that point – I had the strongest conviction that everything would work out.

Surprisingly soon – although it really shouldn't have been that surprising considering the strength of my new conviction – I had no more tears to cry. Not that my body had simply run out of salt-water, they just didn't need to fall any more.

I reluctantly pulled back from him mumbling a pathetic "sorry" about being pathetic, but he tightened his grip on my arms, allowing me only to move far enough away that he could see my face clearly. Oh dear, what a mess I must have been! I tried to wipe away my tears, but Edward beat me to it, wiping them away with his thumb. He looked pained, did he regret coming after me? Did he regret asking me out? Was he disappointed that he would have to dump me as well?

"Don't be sorry," he whispered, "I'm the one that should be sorry," I braced my self for the dreaded words, "I've basically abandoned you this last week, I should have known something was up, I had a feeling, but I should have investigated more, come around to your house instead of avoiding Keira like the plague."

I looked up at him shocked, these weren't the words I was expecting to hear, they were kind of the opposite. He looked down at me worried, I don't know what my face gave away – apart from shock that is.

He took a deep breath, "I don't know if I deserve this, but do you still want to go out with me?"

Wow. He looked so worried so apprehensive, it would have been funny. I nodded, unable to trust my voice. He smiled a beautiful, breathtaking smile and leant down towards me.

As he leant forward, my heart beat wildly in my chest, trying to add the apparently appropriate drum roll, heading towards the almighty crash as the climax when Edward's lips touched mine, and it really was a crash, my brain crashed and shut down, my no longer dormant instincts taking over.

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**A/N- **OK who wants Bella and Edward to turn into vampires?

Please review with ur answer!!!


	14. Chapter 14 authors note

**A/N – **Ok, since, I had no idea how to continue this story, and if I don't know how to continues I cant really write can I? So I think I'm not going to write any more until I get a decent amount of reviews, I'm not blackmailing people into just giving me reviews, I genuinely don't know how to carry the story on. And because I hate it when people just post an authors note as a chapter, I decided to do a very short dual pov chappy here.

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**Edward's pov**

Finally, Bella slowed down and eventually stopped, was she angry at me? Was she angry at her sister? - Ok I know that was a stupid question, but she had been running for a while maybe she had calmed down somewhat? Was she sad that she had effectively disowned her sister? I could see the betrayal on her face when she slapped her sister... no, _Keira,_did she still feel betrayed... by me?

She looked so delicate and fragile standing in the forest, she had on grey sweats that came to just bellow her knees and a figure hugging black, sleeveless top. It was long, and she had pulled it down over her hips, the line swaying as she ran... come on Edward! Pull yourself together man! But she was so small, and slim! I had already seen her broken, I wasn't about to go through that again, think of what Bella went through!

I was panting now as I caught up with her. She turned around as I made my way round the last few trees, and she beamed at me. It was all I could comprehend for a moment, Bella was happy to see me!

"Bella!" I said with relief, relief she was alright, relief she didn't hate me. Then my gaze zeroed in on the trail of blood from her cheek to her jaw, "your bleeding."

She brushed her cheek with her fingers, her eyebrows shot to her hairline in surprise, "Oh, its nothing Keira just scratched me that's all."

I wasn't sure if she would want me to, but my feet were already moving, I tried to hold them back, but that was a lost cause, nothing and no-one could resist this compulsion I felt to go to her, to comfort her, to try and heal everything, make it all better, protect her.

"Are you Ok?" she had to be more than a little upset about what just happened outside her house, I could see it in her eyes.

At my words, her eyes overflowed. It seemed she had no energy left to hold the fragile composure she had constructed around herself. I was at her side in a heartbeat, without thinking I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close to me in the most comforting gesture I could think of.

After a few moments she pulled away mumbling a "sorry." I couldn't just let her go, why was she apologising? What did she have to be sorry for? She was the one who had been wronged, on so many levels, by so many people. She should _not_ apologise, she should _not_ be made to feel that she should apologise.

I let her pull away, but grabbed her arms gently, and holding her so I could look into her beautiful, heartbreaking face.

"Don't be sorry," I whispered, "I'm the one that should be sorry, I've basically abandoned you this last week, I should have known something was up, I had a feeling, but I should have investigated more, come around to your house instead of avoiding Keira like the plague," she had to know, I never intended to hurt her, she just _had_ to know.

She looked at me with wide eyes, she wasn't expecting that, and it worried me. I had no idea what she was expecting but how could it be anything other than that? But it wasn't a repulsed shock, it was a complete and utter shock, but then it held a glimmer of hope, I had to take that chance.

I took a deep breath, "I don't know if I deserve this, but do you still want to go out with me?"

She said nothing. Crap! What if I was just misreading her expression? What if I was just seeing what I wanted to see? What if this was to soon? What if she couldn't forgive me for abandoning her? Then she nodded. She nodded? She nodded! I couldn't help but grin! I was so happy I thought I was going to burst – Ok, wow that was really cheesy.

I felt myself leaning down towards her, her lips. My brain was still stuck marvelling over the fact that she had agreed to go out with me, _again!_

Our lips met and my brain quickly abandoned its marvelling, instead it just sat back and enjoyed the moment, cherishing each touch of her soft warm skin on mine. Her body pressed against the length of mine, further contracting the muscles in the pit of my stomach. My breathing accelerated as I felt her fingers knot through my hair, my entire scalp tingled and pleasant shivers shot down my spine. I smelled the delicious scent of her skin, and tasted her lips on mine.

One of my hands was behind her neck, while the other was pressing lightly against her lower back. Our lips moved in sync, slightly hesitantly at first, but all that melted away before long in the sudden heatwave. We broke apart panting – it was the first time I'd seen her out of breath – and beaming at each other.

"By the way, it wasn't your fault, it was _Keira_," her name twisted in loathing when she said Keira's name, "I don't blame you at all."

**Alice's pov**

I was pissed, to say the least. What stupid, evil bitch, beats her sister up, leaves her for dead on the street, then goes and steals her life?

Edward pulled up in front of Bella's and Keira's house. I refused to get out, things might get a little tense there, and I really didn't want to get into the middle of that. So I waited in the car, I saw Edward talking to the Keira-Bella and figured he was dumping her, then, out the corner of my eye, I saw the real Bella – I knew it! – at the window, looking hurt... and then furious.

There was a fight and, despite my original intentions, I ended up getting out the car. I heard Bella disown her sister, I wasn't surprised, I would have done the same years ago. But then she ran off and Edward was running after her. I shouted to him to leave her alone, she probably just wanted to be alone – hence the running off – but he ignored me.

Then I was left alone with Keira, I just glared at her, too mad for words, until she got up and went inside, like nothing much had happened! I was too pissed to do anything but get in the car and sit there silently fuming. I waited there for twenty minutes before I got bored.

I texted Edward to say I was driving home, then I climbed across the seats and started the engine. When I got home mum was there and could tell I was in a mood.

"What's happened honey?" she asked concerned, yet still wary.

"Well..." I proceeded to tell her about the last week and mums face went from sympathetic to mad, to a strange mixture between horrified and furious.

"Oh, goodness! Is Bella alright?" my mum asked.

"Yeah... I don't know, she ran off into the woods and Edward ran after her," I sighed.

"Good, bad things can happen when you're alone in the woods."

I went upstairs to my room. I hadn't received a reply to my text earlier and I wanted to know if he got it, so I rang him. I paced my room, waiting for the call to connect, then froze as I heard Edward's ringtone coming from his bedroom. I shut my phone, just a small movement of my fingers. Then I crept into his room, silently pushing his door open, I checked his phone and sure enough, there was one unread text and one missed call. Dammit!

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**A/N – **Ok, so don't forget to review, should Bella and Edward turn into vampires? Any other random ideas? PLEASE REVIEW!!!!


	15. Chapter 15 fire

**A/N – **ok, after the _overwhelming_ majority of 4 against 2 (not counting repeat votes, sorry to the three people who review on a regular basis – I love you guys!!), I have decided which way my story is going(with the four people – god, out of context it sounds like I'm going with the _minority!_) and if you don't agree with it then you should have reviewed!!! (except for the two people who thought differently and _did_ review!)

- plus, Bella's hoodie is real... and mine! However, Bella's top is real, and I want it!! =]

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**Chapter 15 - fire**

**Jasper pov**

I ran through the woods annoyed. Rosalie was blowing this way out of proportion, I didn't even do anything! Sure I wanted to, but I denied myself, just like every other time I'm in the presence of humans, I always deny myself.

It got close though... I'll admit to that... but close was all it got, and all it's ever going to get... maybe I should hunt, its been a week since my last trip. I heard Rosalie behind me, she was a little worried, but I could feel the bloodlust in her take over as she gave herself over to her instincts.

I tried to relax and do the same, but the annoyance I felt had me wound up too tight. Rosalie was a sister to me, but sometimes I just didn't appreciate her company, you know?

I caught the smell of a mountain lion, the carnivores always smelt better than the herbivores. I found it easier to relax and relinquish control then, when my instincts were already trying to take over, so I just... let them.

I seemed to watch from the passenger seat as my body sunk into a hunting crouch and stalked forward. I could smell the hot delicious scent of blood pulling me forward, I could hear the juicy heartbeat that promised to quench the fire in my throat. I could see the lion through the trees... I pounced and felt instantaneous relief as the hot liquid poured down my throat, soothing the fire. I would hunt just one other tonight, this lion was quite big and only so much blood would fit in my body. I let my instincts take over again as I smelt a bear about three miles to my left, the next second it was only a mile away...

Then I was running off to the side, I couldn't help it, I didn't _want_ to help it. I just couldn't find the strength within me to deny my thirst, my _need._

**Edward's pov**

She didn't blame me, but I couldn't escape the fact that I should've noticed, I could've prevented all this! And that was my source of anguish, I knew it was Keira's fault, but I should've done something! I pulled back to look at her better, apart from the scratch on her cheek, she was perfect. I caught sight of her top and grinned.

"What?" she demanded, self conscious.

"_Warning; gymnast in training, could flip at any moment,"_ I read, "I like it."

"Oh, thanks," she blushed.

Her blush was lovely, the delicate pink seeping across her cheeks... I noticed the scratch start to bleed again from the extra pressure behind it. I frowned and wiped the blood away. We stood there awkwardly for a minute, neither of us knowing what to say. We both wanted to steer clear of what just happened – not just a moment ago,here, but ten minutes ago, back at her house – but that was easier said than done.

Suddenly Bella wasn't stood in front of me any more... she was pinned against a tree and howling in pain. It took me less than a second to get over the shock and respond to her screams of obvious agony.

"Bella!" I roared, my desperation and anger thinly veiled – in fact the veil may as well not have even existed, I didn't care.

I jumped on the blonde freak that was pinning Bella down, I grabbed at his hair and pulled with all my strength, dammit, no good! Bella was still screaming, making my blood boil, I could hear it pounding in my ears and flooding my face, my accelerated heart did nothing to help, how could this be possible? I pulled and pulled, hoping with each heave that I would make some progress. The tears fell down my face as I continued to ignore Bella's pleas for me to save myself, there was no way in hell I was leaving her. This guy must be made of fucking stone! He was like a bloody statue! Come on, leave Bella alone! She doesn't deserve this! Bella's struggles weakened slightly, oh fuck no! Please! Bella can't fucking die! She just cant!

I picked up a large stick/branch and smashed it across the back of his head with all my adrenaline-enhanced strength. I was gripping the branch too hard and as the branch ricochetted of the freak's head it took the skin off my hands, they may have even bled, that's when he turned on me. I saw a brief flash of vivid orange eyes.. and then I was burning.

I screamed as the freak put a blowtorch against my neck, searing, burning melting the skin there, but it didn't stop at just the skin, it seemed to seep _inside_ of me, and it was as if every beat of my accelerated heart was propelling it further around my body. The fire quickly spread and then I couldn't feel the sharp teeth in my neck any more, I was too preoccupied by the inferno that was consuming my body. I had no idea it was possible to feel this much pain!

They can stick their thumb screws and electric shocks, this would have people talking in no time – pain! Everywhere! My breath came in heavy pants and I couldn't help the moans of pain that escaped my lips. Was I dying? It sure as hell felt like it!

My world was rapidly constricting to the fire inside me, it consumed my whole body now, it made it hard to think, but I could still hear Bella's screams echoing my own. They forced themselves into my consciousness and I could have died to think that she was going through the same pain as me... but I wasn't that lucky, my body even refused to pass out! Surely this much pain usually makes people pass out? ...or die, that sounded like a good idea, yeah, dying. Please somebody kill me!

I could hear Bella's screams, did she wish to die too? Her mind was indecipherable, as always. But I wasn't dense, obviously she was feeling the same pain as me, she had drooped slightly before the blonde freak had turned on me, like she was loosing the life in her to fight, but as soon as he had left her alone she had been slowly recovering strength... and now her screams were as loud as mine.

**Jaspers pov**

Rosalie was too absorbed in feeding to notice me and my mouth curled into a conspiratory grin, this blood was fresh, flowing, it was an open invitation. It would be sweet and it would be warm and it was soothing... the warm liquid soothed my burning throat into bliss. Then I became of my hair being yanked backwards. I ignored it... but I noticed another beating heart, this one was almost drained, it would be more sensible to go after the heart with a full body of blood... maybe later.

It wasn't the smash of the branch across the back of my head – which was quite impressive for a human even though I didn't really notice this at the time – that I caught a whiff of blood, this blood smelled even better, the best fresh blood I had smelled in... since I had been able to smell blood. This blood couldn't wait, I was irrationally afraid that if I didn't drink it now, the opportunity would be lost to me forever. So I turned and bit into the neck that would allow me access to the most exquisite blood I had ever tasted.

But Rosalie had noticed by now, I frantically tried to speed my feeding, desperate to taste as much of this blood as possible, it only helped that the heart was going a million beats per minute.

Rosalie knocked me to the ground, I could sense the determination rolling off her, she was trying to ignore the obvious pain of the two humans screaming in the woods next to us... as was I, now that I could think beyond blood, but it wasn't the fact that I was now on the ground that pulled me back to my senses...

I could feel Rosalie's _guilt._

Dammit, this was my fault! I was the one sucking the life out of humans, not her! My struggling against her dissipated as I was overwhelmed by my own guilt mirroring hers, and the pain of the transformation, I didn't want to face that pain again, but I knew I deserved it, so I pushed myself to asses the situation, knowing all I would feel was pain and despair, possibly anger.

So what I felt surprised me, there was pain, but the despair and anger weren't nearly as prominent as I thought they would be, I was expecting every ugly emotion to be coursing through their bodies along with my venom. Instead I I found seeds of love and concern... in both of them, I was surprised they could think of anything outside of themselves and their pain, especially this early, their minds were still one hundred percent human.

**Bella's pov**

Edward grinned at me, it was my natural reaction to wonder if something was wrong with how I looked, "What?"

"_Warning; gymnast in training, could flip at any moment,"_ he read, "I like it."

"oh thanks," I blushed, surprised and embarrassed at the compliment.

But then I warmed as I I realised he liked my favourite top, I wondered if he would find my favourite hoodie amusing as well; _if acro was easy... they'd call it football,_ what was so great about running around after a ball to score a goal anyway? Maybe it was more fun playing it, but honestly, I didn't know how people could just watch _that_ for ninety solid minutes... I could watch acro all day, or any gymnastics really, it was all about performance, a skill that most footballers seemed to posses when they'd been tackled.

But I was blushing, and that had made the damn scratch bleed again. Edward frowned and wiped the blood from my cheek. The next thing I knew I was being slammed against a tree by none other than Jasper Hale. Then a split second after that, I forgot everything, I forgot that Jasper Hale was at my neck, I forgot that I was in a forest, I forgot Keira, my dad, Alice... I forgot my own name even. All I knew was that I was burning... and that I might explode from the pain of it.

"Bella!" I heard Edward yell... Edward, no he had to get out of here! What if Jasper Hale turns on him when he's finished with me? No, he had to get out of here!

I would gladly take whatever was coming next, whether it was death, or simply more pain, I would take it all, even steal it, if it meant Edward could escape it. I tried to tell him to leave, to escape, but he didn't, he started trying to pull Jasper Hale off me.

I fell into despair, not only were Edward's efforts in vain, but it would probably make Jasper Hale turn on him once he was done with me. I thrashed and struggled, but, I felt my eyelids droop and welcomed the blackness that was already starting to dissolve the pain and was promising a complete relief.

Yet I still managed to feel the horror as intensely as it was ever possible for someone to be completely consumed by horror, as Edward smashed a branch across the back of Jasper Hale's head and was than going through the same ordeal as me. I hoped I would black out, or die or that the pain would have vanished with Jasper Hale's teeth. However, I had to watch as Edward was tortured as I had been, in front of my very eyes. I had to watch as the burning agony consumed him too, I had to watch his thrashing I had to listen to his screams... some delusional part of my mind at the very back noticed that he still sounded very masculine. That thought was quickly forgotten, Edward was in pain, and I was so stupid for ever coming this far into the forest!


	16. Chapter 16 separation

**Chapter 16 – separation **

**Rosalie's pov**

"We cant stay here, if we could barely manage one newborn, we would definitely not be able to handle two," I said, as I looked at the two thrashing humans, I recognised the girl as Bella Swan, "We'll have to take them to Denali, then we'll have enough vampires and between us we'll be able to cope."

Jasper nodded, I could see the guilt thick on his face... and pain. I felt bad for him, they were just two humans in the wrong place at the wrong time... and now Jasper could feel their pain too and would have to until we got to Denali. I felt sorry for my brother.

I patted down my golden hair again and found another twig. I quickly disentangled it from the blonde strands and threw it on the floor before raking my fingers through my hair once again. I decided to dust off my jeans and top again as well, I straightened my top, that had become slightly twisted, and I was finally satisfied with me appearance. I made sure one last time that my soft, golden curls were in place, making me look benign and impossibly gorgeous, I knew the effect my beauty had, the lustful looks boys gave me all the time were proof enough.

I picked Bella up, I wrapped my arms securely around her arms – pinning them to her sides – and her legs and held her tight to my chest. The screams meant that we couldn't go anywhere near a road, god this girl had a set of lungs on her. I could still feel her struggles even though they were still ineffectual against my iron grip, it wouldn't stay that way for long, less than three days...

I glanced over my shoulder to see Jasper holding the new boy – he was Emmett's brother, the one who _hadn't_ been following me around like a lost puppy, I have to admit though, Emmett was kind of cute as well... ok, I loved him, but it just wouldn't work, I couldn't let myself get close to him – in much the same way as me. I saw the determination on Jasper's face, they were starting to smell less like humans now, there wasn't much of a difference yet, but it was there, only vampires would notice it, they were no longer quite as mouth watering as they were twenty minutes ago, but still as sweet.

Then Jasper looked up and stared straight into my eyes, and I tore my eyes away from his quickly, not wanting to see the blazing red irises as proof of the human blood swirling around his system in my brother. It was only one mistake, he had been right, it sometimes came a little too close – for me as well – but he never actually bit anyone. Maybe I was too hard on him earlier, for the first time in my life I found myself regretting being a little harsh on him – okay, a _lot_ harsh on him, jeez.

I shook myself mentally, turned and started running for Alaska. I heard Jasper running behind me, keeping up easily, he had the heavier human, but he had always been faster than me, he had no trouble running with me, he probably could have raced ahead if he wanted to, but he stayed just a little behind me. I caught the edge of a wave of calm and peace lap at me, not quite having any effect. I looked over at Jasper out of the corner of my eye, he was looking at his human – I just couldn't find a name to match his face – with a look of pure concentration on his face.

Oh, he was trying to calm them down, reduce the pain a little, but I knew – as well as he did – that nothing could completely take away the burning pain of the venom. I wondered why I hadn't thought of using his power though, I was glad he had though, I knew the burn of the venom myself, I winced at the memory, not having even looked at it properly.

But it worked... ish. They were still burning, of course they were, but it was more manageable, their screams quietened to gasps, groans and whimpers, even some mutterings that were mostly incoherent, even if I was paying attention. We would be able to take a shorter, and therefore quicker, route to Denali now. We ran as fast as we could while weighed down with our humans – _our_ humans? Oh dear, I was getting attached, I looked down at Bella's face, contorted with pain, and couldn't help but feel her pain too, sometimes I couldn't help but wish that vampires didn't have perfect recall.

But we weren't really weighed down, well, I wasn't anyway, even without my supernatural strength, Bella would've been as light as a feather. Wasn't she the one who did crazy gymnastics?

We ran for nine hours solid and eventually made it to Tanya's house in the pink light of the early dawn. Jasper had been keeping some of the pain at bay the whole time we were running but now I could see his mental fatigue...

Thankfully Tanya heard us and came to the door before we could knock, I hadn't even begun to work that one out.

As Tanya opened the door, her eyes momentarily widened in shock as she took us in, two vampires with looks of pleading desperation on their faces, holding to struggling humans in obvious agony. Then she narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips then ushered us inside disapprovingly. She stayed in silent judgement as we brought them both upstairs to the bedrooms, we put... the new boy, in one, and Bella in another.

Me and jasper walked reluctantly down the stairs, "How mad is she?" I murmured to him.

"Very," he replied just as quietly, oh dear, this was not going to end well.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you two?!" Tanya rounded on us, I felt like a child being reprimanded again, "Jasper I thought you said you could cope! It's not even been three decades since you gave up humans! And when was the last time you slipped up Rosalie?! It was only twelve years ago! What were you thinking?! What do you intend to _do_ with them?! Huh? We cant keep two newborns here! Carmen and Eleazar have gone to Italy to visit the Volturi and wont be back for months! We might be able to control one newborn, but two?! There is just no way in hell that's going to work!"

"Then what do you suggest we do then?" I hissed, enraged by her tone, it wasn't Jasper's fault they were there while we were hunting, and it wasn't our fault that Carmen and Eleazar were away either.

"You're going to have to take one away," she sighed looking defeated, I was a lot calmer too, "somewhere far away, without people."

I nodded reluctantly, logically it was the only solution, but that didn't mean I liked it. My thoughts started to wonder where we would go with... whoever we took with us. It would take about a year to calm the bloodlust in them to an acceptable level, we would stay away from humans completely within that time, and then, after a year or so, we could maybe meet up again.

Who would we take with us? I secretly wanted to take Bella with us, it would be slightly less awkward if we knew her name, and she knew ours. It would be so much easier than explaining to a complete stranger – who only moved to Forks two weeks ago – that he was now a vampire and wouldn't be able to see his family ever again... At least Bella had a mostly absent father and a sister who really didn't deserve that title.

It would definitely be easier to tell Bella that, she didn't really have much of a family to not see ever again. The new boy however... he had a brother and a sister, a mother and a father, all of which loved him, and he probably loved them too.

I could imagine his face, his reaction when we told him, I could imagine the pain there, I didn't want to be the cause of that kind of pain. Telling Bella would definitely be easier, we were definitely taking Bella with us.

**Alice's pov**

Typical, he forgot his phone. Well, it shouldn't be that difficult to figure out that I came home. I left his phone, untouched, on the bed and walked back into my room, refusing to become stressed.

I flopped onto my bed and found myself wondering about the situation with Bella. Would she want to go back to her house after that? I couldn't imagine living with a sister like Keira... or not sister now. Did she actually mean that or was she just angry? Or both?

How had she lived with her for so long? How had she stayed quiet for so long? My phone buzzed in my pocket, I had a text. I quickly pulled it out and looked to see who it was from.

It was from Haley, my old best friend. Finally, a text from someone other than Angela, not that I didn't like Angela, I was just glad to know my old friends still cared about me.

_Heyy, hws u? Soz I havnt txted bfore now, iv been really busy, and so stressed! Theres a stupid music exam tht I had to practice for and... my parents r getting divorced!!!!!!!_

_call me plz!!!!!!_

_xxx_

I called her immediately, "hey Haley, I'm so sorry to hear your parents are getting divorced! Did you know this was going to happen? How are you holding up?"

It was nice, not the part about Haley's parents getting divorced, but when we moved on to talk about other things. I ended up talking to her for three hours solid before I ran out of credit, bugger. I looked at the time on my phone and quickly jumped into bed when I realised it said half ten, I had school in the morning.

***

I was in the woods, enjoying the jade green that surrounded me. The forest was so calm and peaceful, and so alive and happy at the same time! I could run and skip or just lay down and fall asleep here. But instead I decided to explore.

I wandered for a while, until I came to a beautiful open meadow. I was so happy I danced around it for ages. When I had had enough of that I turned to go back to my wandering. I headed to the edge of the meadow then froze momentarily as I saw what was hidden in the shadows.

In the olive gloom, I saw Edward and Bella, just standing there completely motionless, holding hands. When I got over my surprise at seeing them there I started to walk towards them. But they took a step back, I noticed they were paler than usual, and their faces were more angular, they looked like the elves in the lord of the rings.

"We're sorry Alice," they said in unison, even their voices were different, like they were both professional singers.

"Why?" I asked, but they didn't answer, instead they took another step back.

But as they did so, I watched in horror as, starting at their feet, they slowly turned to stone. I watched their pale flesh dull and harden. I watched as they stilled and started accumulating frost. I watched as their clothes swayed around no longer flesh bodies. Then the wind grew and my own clothes and hair started whipping around me, I found it hard to see them through my rebellious strands but I unmistakeably saw them crumble to dust and float away in the wind.

The strange thing was, they were both blown in different directions, which were, again, completely different directions to the way the wind was blowing me. The wind eventually died down and I was left with two sets of clothes and two severely diminished piles of ashes in front of me. I couldn't stop myself from walking over and letting the ashes run through my fingers, I had to check, see if that had actually happened...

I woke up sweating and panting from my decidedly strange dream – to put it mildly, extremely mildly. I sat up in my bed shaking and tried unsuccessfully to get a grip.

The buzzing of my alarm made me jump out of my skin and I hastily scrambled to turn the dreadful noise off. But then I stared at the top of my alarm clock, it had this weird grey stuff sprinkled on it.

I pulled my hand back and inspected my fingers, it was there too... and on the other hand! I sat and stared at my hands for a whole five minutes trying to work out how the hell I could get covered in ashes in my sleep! I mean, how do ashes get from dreams to reality? How does anything get from dreams to reality?

I ran to the shower and desperately started scrubbing myself, I didn't want a trace of those ashes to be left on me! That was the single most freakiest thing I had ever experienced!

I stared at the tiled wall of the shower not really seeing it, my brain was working frantically trying to figure out what the hell that was... and what it meant. Had Bella and Edward gone back to her house – maybe to pack Bella's things before she came to stay over here? – and then got trapped in a house fire? It would explain the ashes, and them saying sorry to me – I know I would've given them grief for not letting me help, but I couldn't care about that at the moment! It had only taken a few moments of scrubbing to realise that I hadn't heard them come home last night.

I had been so preoccupied with talking to Haley that I'd completely forgotten about Edward running after Bella, and the I'd fallen asleep. They could've come back without me noticing, I tried to console myself I had been pretty wrapped up in the conversation. It would've been easy for them to come in and go to bed late, doing everything as quietly as possible so they didn't wake anyone up.

I quickly got out of the shower, got dressed and raced downstairs, I got as far as the landing before I stopped dead, icy cold seeping through my body. I could hear Edward's alarm faintly through his door. I crept forward slowly, strangely terrified of opening the door. Inch by inch I opened the door, every movement of the door seemed to take twice as much effort as the previous inch, it was like the door was accumulating weight, or there was a magnet on the other side, forcing the door back towards me.

I eventually got the door opened, and stood stock still, surveying the empty room in dismay. I slowly walked round Edward's bed and turned his alarm off. A bang from downstairs snapped me back to reality, Emmett! I turned and ran downstairs, had Edward called while I'd been in the shower? Had he told us he'd spent the night at Bella's and not to worry?

"Emmett!" I cried as I sped into the kitchen.

"Whatever it is Alice, no," he said without turning around, I narrowed my eyes at his back and continued anyway.

"Has Edward called?" I demanded.

Emmett turned around, finally registering my panic, and the seriousness of the situation, "No," he said confused, "should he?"

"He didn't come home last night after running after Bella! I just heard his alarm through his door, and when I went in there his room was empty!" I wailed.

"Wait, why was he running after Bella? Thought she was being a real bitch? And he didn't come home last night?" he sounded perplexed.

"The bitch wasn't the real Bella!" he looked even more confused so I explained to him in full, "it was Bella's twin Keira! When Bella was discharged from hospital, Keira dyed her hair brown to match Bella's then she went around pretending to be Bella trying to get with Edward, so when Edward had to do a science project with Keira – who had been absent all week! – we came to Bella's house, Bella and Edward discovered what had been going on, Bella had a fight with her Keira, disowned her then ran off into the woods, and Edward ran after her!" I finished glaring desperately at Emmett, silently wishing he would take this seriously.

"Into the woods, eh?" he said wagging his eyebrows suggestively, is it bad that I wished it were Emmett lost in the woods rather than Edward? At least Edward would take me seriously.

"Emmett," I growled, "both Edward, and the nice, polite Bella, that everyone loves, are lost in the woods and you think this is a joke?"

"For gods sake Alice, calm down! They probably spent all afternoon in the woods, then when they got back – exhausted from who knows what – they just fell asleep at Bella's house and haven't woken up yet, nothing to worry about," he – somehow – finished cheerily.

He ruffled my hair and swaggered out of the kitchen and headed upstairs, he got as far as the door, "But why hasn't he called? They should be up by now for school!"

"I don't know, maybe he lost his phone? And couldn't remember the house number? We've only been here for not even two weeks yet, have you memorised the house number? ...or maybe he just didn't want to be disturbed," another innuendo.

Oh how I wanted to punch Emmett in that moment, but he was right, I realised as I remembered Edward's phone laying on his bed upstairs, I would be able to speak to him at school. Emmett would be right, he would just have not been able to remember the house number. It was all going to work out alright, everything would be sorted once we got to school...

Suddenly I was eager to get to the dreary buildings that often felt more like a prison than a school.

* * *

**A/N –** I know most people reading this prefer maths to English, but I have a little equation for you:

reviews = longer chappys + better chappys + faster updates!!!! =]


	17. Chapter 17 there is such a word as cant

**Chapter 17 – there is such a word as can't**

It's fine, everything's going to be alright, they just stayed at Bella's house, they were tired when they got back, everything's fine. Of course, who was I kidding? I didn't see them in the car park earlier, I tapped my pen, staccato with my anxiety, on my blank chemistry book. I couldn't help but glance at the clock every second, although it seemed hours between each glance, I fidgeted in my seat again.

I looked around the classroom for the millionth time, everyone was getting on with their work, how could they be so oblivious? We should be in the woods by Bella's house, searching for them, we should be at the police station reporting them missing! We shouldn't be here acting like everything's normal and ordinary when it isn't!

I had to remind myself again, there's nothing to worry about! Why wasn't this working? Why couldn't I lie convincingly to myself? It seemed to work on everyone else, dammit, what if something happened to them? I increased the tempo of my tapping, I didn't care if the person next to me got annoyed, she could glare all she wanted, I wasn't going to stop now, I _couldn't_ stop now.

I was stuck in an impossible situation, on one hand I was utterly desperate to get out of this lesson, I physically _needed_ to know if they were all right, but on the other... I dreaded what I would find out, the logical part of my brain was trying to convince me that it was extremely unlikely that anything could've happened, but I just couldn't shake this feeling... ever since that dream...

I shuddered at the unwelcome thoughts that forced their way into my mind, I had a head ache... which was made both better and worse by the bell ringing for the end of the lesson. I couldn't stop myself from positively racing to get to the radiator, to where Angela, Ben and Mike were stood.

"Hey, Alice," Angela smiled at me when she saw me coming, then she frowned in confusion, "where's Edward?"

"He had a free first," I suddenly remembered, my outlook brightening at once, "he might be a bit late," god how I hoped that was true!

I chewed my nails nearly all the way through break, I hadn't done that in years! Why does being so worried that you might explode make you regress into a child? Maybe, even subconsciously, I would rather ruin my nails by chewing on them than ruining my clothes my exploding in them.

This time as I watched the clock, I prayed for it to slow down, to give them more time to arrive, they both had English with me next and I didn't know what I would do if they weren't there...

Apparently I would sit here fuming, tapping my pen on my book again and stare at the clock, willing it to go faster, but, just like in chemistry, it threw a tantrum and decided to go achingly slowly. I imagined this was pretty close to what Edward felt like last Friday, Edward.... I want my brother back!

I couldn't imagine life without him! He had always been my safety net, the comforting presence whenever I had a bad dream, without him, the world was a strange and barren place. He wasn't just my brother, he was my twin! No one could ever understand the difference between being a mere brother and being a twin.

The week before this disaster of a week he had been so happy and carefree, my brother had been going out with one of my best friends! How much more perfect could that get?! – and if anyone says, _with Bella out of the hospital,_ I'll shoot them! Stupid smartarses!

They just _couldn't _have disappeared... they just _couldn't!_ They're safe! Nothings happened to them, they _can't_ disappear! Tears dripped down my cheeks as I stared at my broken pencil. I didn't move, I couldn't, my muscles were too tensed up to even begin to relax... they just _can't_ leave...

**Bella's pov**

Oh god this hurt! Well, there was the understatement of the century! I had thought getting my nose and ribs broken had hurt... I was wrong, I had thought it hurt that time I cracked my head open after being sent tumbling down the stairs... I was wrong, I had even thought it hurt when Carrie stretched me in gym – and she always pushed you to breaking point, seriously, it felt like you were about to snap under her! – but again... I was wrong, so very very wrong.

People did not truly know pain, I realised, they didn't know the body's capability to harbour so _much_ of it. I would have thought there was a capacity limit to pain, that there was only so much pain you were able to feel, but it seemed I was wrong again. Every cell in my body seemed to be overflowing with incredible agony.

Something else people who are merely acquaintances with pain wont know, is that there are many types of pain, for instance the stretching pain that's a good pain – if you get my logic – because sometimes stretching can feel good, it makes being stretched at gym easier to bear. Then there was the emotional pain I felt when I saw my sister – _Keira,_ god dammit! She's _Keira,_ not my sister – kissing Edward, it was agony so acute it was literally physical, the pain was just to much to be held as purely emotionally, it spilled over to the physical side of pain... and then there was the burning.

This burning was the worst, the physical pain was so intense I thought I would black out or vomit... but I did neither, I thrashed and screamed and panted just trying to bear the pain, to block it out, pain was not good and it must be rejected. But then Carrie's words came back to me, _just relax into it._ Once you stop trying to block the pain out it becomes easier to bear, not less painful, but easier to bear, only it took a lot of will to relax into _this _pain.

As if that wasn't enough to deal with! I knew Edward was out there somewhere, suffering the same as I. It was maddening! I couldn't tell where he was, I couldn't even tell where _I_ was! I had been moved while I was drowning in the flames, the inferno effectively blocking out all my senses. But now I was on top of a bed, in an unfamiliar room, I didn't take much notice, nothing any strangers could do could ever compare to this! The fiery burn consuming me and the mental, and emotional torture of both knowing Edward was in pain – probably the same excruciating pain as me – and not knowing where he was!

_Just relax into it, _I kept telling myself over and over again... _breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth, deep breaths,_ _just relax into it_, _Carrie told me as she pressed down on the top of my thigh, forcing my hips into the ground and my legs to... snap. _

"_Knees straight," she ordered. _

_Squeezing my eyes tight shut from both the pain and the effort I once again locked my knees straight, my knee was aching, Carrie's legs were putting too much pressure on my knee. But she shuffled her legs then pulled my leg further onto her lap and resumed the stretch. I could feel the sharp stretch along my groin and the duller pain sensation around the place where my legs were attached to my torso. _

"_5... 4... 3... 2... 1..." Carrie released the pressure on my thigh and slowly moved my leg off her lap. _

_I slumped on the floor, I didn't have the energy to move, I only turned my head so that it wouldn't be hyper-extended when she raised my other leg and my shoulders would turn slightly. I heard Carrie kneel beside my other leg and felt her move me into position, ready to stretch. _

I came back to this torturous hell of a reality – and it was pretty close to hell, it had the whole torture/fiery/burning thing going on – and realised... no more gym. What ever this was, how ever long it lasted – which could be eternity, yet another reason to support the hell theory – what would it mean for my gymnastics?

I had always loved gymnastics, sure it was hard at times, but I could barely keep the smile off my face when I was doing it, I would even practise handstands against my wall all the time, practising straddle ups, even getting out my old blocks from the days when I was a top, to practise on. But all that was behind me now. I didn't know what this was, but I felt certain that gym wasn't going to be a big part of my future any more like I had always planned. It had been the one thing I truly loved and couldn't stand giving up... as well as Edward now.

Being without Edward that week was torturous – of course it paled in comparison to _this_ torture – but it was still unbearable. It was the emotional pain you couldn't relax into. Your mind definitely works harder at rejecting unpleasant things than your body, I discovered.

Now, laying here, every cell in my body consumed utterly by fiery torment, and every part of my mind frantically dreading what could have happened to Edward... again, we were being torn apart as we had just got back together – not that we had really broken up – I had only just come to terms with the fact that Edward really wanted me... and now... we were apart again.

Again... would this separation be resolved as the first had? Would Edward blame me for leading him into the forest? ...What if he did? I could feel my thoughts becoming slightly clearer... faster... more distractable, meaning – unfortunately – that my mind could fully comprehend the consequences of Edward blaming me... my pain doubled as my mind mercilessly conjured up images of a life without Edward... ever since I had met him, I hadn't imagined a prolonged period of time without him... and now that I was imagining these things... the intensity of what I felt at that moment transpired words. I was suddenly drowning, not only in flames, but I was rapidly spiralling down, deep into the disgusting pit of despair.

Pain, pain, pain... was there anything beyond that? ...what if I was stuck in an eternal limbo consumed by burning torture forever? ...what if it was the same for Edward? … had I condemned him to an eternity of agonising misery? ...had I? How could I have done this to him?

Would he – _could_ he – ever forgive me?

I felt strong, iron arms form a restraining cage around me... where were they taking me? Were they taking me to Edward? Were they taking me further away from him? Through the fire I felt my chest tighten, I felt a lump in the back of my throat and my eyes stung. I didn't feel tear tracks, was my skin just too hot? Or was there no tears? ...A world without Edward...

How could this happen? ...what had I done? ...that can't have been the last time I saw him... it just... _couldn't!_

I felt wind – don't ask me how I felt it I don't even know – and I knew I was moving, fast. Where were we going? Did someone else go on ahead with Edward, and now we're just catching up?

I panted, struggling to breathe deeply enough to push out enough air for even one word, "where... are... we... go... ing?"

Rosalie Hale looked down at me, pity evident in her angular features, "away, far away from any people, it's for the best," then she looked straight ahead, her face suddenly devoid of emotion.

This was bad, very bad. _Far away from people..._ the pit of my stomach dropped as I caught her meaning and I succumbed to the pain.

**Edward's pov **

I was just laying there, every cell in my body consumed utterly by fierce, burning agony, and every part of my mind frantically worrying about what could have happened to Bella, I saw the pure agony distort her face and then felt it myself... again, we were being torn apart as we had just got back together...

Would this separation be resolved as easily as the last? Would Bella blame me for letting the blonde freak get to her? ...What if she did? I could feel my thoughts becoming slightly clearer, less hazy, I found I could think around the fire burning from within, meaning – unfortunately – that my mind could fully comprehend the consequences of Bella blaming me... my pain doubled as my mind viscously conjured up images of a life without Bella... ever since I had met her, I knew she was the one... and now that I was imagining these things... the intensity of what I felt at that moment transpired words. I was suddenly drowning, not only in flames, but I was rapidly spiralling down, deep into the stinking pit of despair.

Just pain and more pain... was there anything beyond that? ...what if I was stuck in an eternal limbo consumed by burning torture forever? ...what if it was the same for Bella? … had I condemned her to an eternity of agonising misery? ...what if I had been strong enough to protect us both from him? How could I have done this to her?

Would she – _could_ she – ever forgive me?

Once again, I prayed for an end to the agony, not just for myself, but because if my torture ended, then that would surely mean that Bella's had ended to wouldn't it? Was she near? She had to be near... the universe couldn't be _that _cruel could it?

* * *

**A/N – **omg omg omg omg omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!! went to see remember me today and it was sooooooooooooo gooood!!!!!!!!!!! its even replaced twilight as my fave film ever!!!!!!! it was so sad at the end!!!!!!!!!!! I have only ever shed a tear (from watching something) twice before!!! (at the end of the time travellers wife and in being Erica where she has to watch her brother die and not do anything about it – and they were only a tear or two!!) but in remember me my eyes were positively streaming!!!!!!!! OK I'm going to stop going on about it now coz its in my head and getting me a little depressed, but other than tht, BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!

btw don't forget to review!!!!!!!!


	18. Chapter 18 distance

**Chapter 18 - distance**

Why?

I suppose it might be nice to know why, but I didn't really care about it that much. No, all I wanted to know was when I could see Edward again. Maybe I was fixated, maybe this level of fixation wasn't healthy – it sure as hell didn't feel healthy! Well, it was too late for healthy now! I always felt like I was falling apart, mind and body, worrying – but I couldn't stop, and I would be lying if I said I wanted to stop.

I could feel the burning recede slowly from my limbs and concentrate on my heart and throat, then my heart stopped and there was just a dry fire in my throat. But I barely noticed that, just like I barely noticed the passing days and my surroundings. Even when my body was no longer being tortured by the flames I still remained curled up in a ball, grieving. Maybe he had come out the other side in one piece as well, I hoped so. I desperately wished just to see him once more, it was all I could think about, the barely controlled yearning I had for him, to see his face, hear his voice, feel his lips one more time.

I was vaguely aware of time passing but I couldn't concentrate on that, no matter how hard I tried, I knew Edward was out there somewhere, and was possibly still suffering. Who knew what had happened?

I was told I was curled up for almost a week before I moved, and I only moved because I was so _thirsty._ My mouth and throat felt like the sahara on fire! I sat up and looked into the golden eyes of Rosalie Hale.

"My throat," I said, but abruptly stopped talking as I heard the sound of my voice.

It was rough yet smooth, like crushed velvet... what the hell? I looked questioningly, pleadingly at Rosalie, begging her to explain, I didn't say anything else because I was intimidated by her, everyone was – and my new voice but shh, don't tell anyone – and I suddenly found myself in a defensive crouch as she started to move.

"I know, Bella, I need to explain something to you, and its not going to be easy to understand, but try and keep an open mind about it please?"

I nodded one quick nod.

"Bella, I am extremely sorry about what happened, I know what you've just gone through as I've been through the same myself. Bella... you're a vampire," she finished in a soft voice but the words still came as a blow, a vampire? Really? Does that mean I have to drink peoples blood? I was never really into that whole vampires and werewolves thing but I would have to hunt... people. I would have to...

I felt disgusted and repulsed, the burning in my throat immediately shoved to the back of my mind, "You want me to kill people?!" I shrieked.

"No! That's not what I'm saying at all, me and my brother Jasper, we hunt animals instead, they're not as satisfying but..." she trailed off not needing to say anything more.

My panic attack was suddenly halted. Animals... kinda like a slightly more savage and disgusting way of eating roast? or whatever? Maybe this wasn't so bad, maybe I didn't have to kill people.

Rosalie immediately explained what to do, which was basically just follow your instincts. It went... surprisingly well, I felt weirdly grossed out over the fact that I managed to consume three whole animals, a bear and two wolves.

With my stomach feeling like there was an ocean in there, and my throat relieved of most of the burning – and therefore almost too easy to ignore – I felt everything come crashing down on me, so far I had been focusing on Edward – the biggest and most painful loss I had experienced – but now I was able to think about all the other losses, if not seeing Edward again felt like I'd been hit by a torpedo, then all the other losses felt like bullet holes from a machine gun; gym, Charlie, Alice, Angela, my home, my school, my future... it was all just suddenly taken away from me.

I even missed the daily annoyance of getting ready for school with Keira in the morning – the epitome of our sisterly affection – and even homework and the way the leotard glue was always painful when I took my leotard off after a competition, and the way my hair would be more plastic than actual hair with the amount of hairspray and hair gel I put on it for competitions and displays.

I felt the grief hit me again, by all rights I should have passed out but I wasn't sure if vampires could do that. I thought absently how ironic it was now that I was every gymnasts dream – strong, fast, powerful etc. – and I wouldn't be able to do it again.

I even _looked _different as well, I hadn't seen a mirror yet – I wasn't really sure I wanted to either – but the sight of my hands was enough to convince me, they were so pale, and my nails had grown and neatened themselves out, it was weird. But this was easier – a hell of a lot easier – to accept than the other... consequences of... what happened.

I sat there grieving some more, Rosalie said we would basically live like nomads for about a year, until I could completely control my thirst, although she gave me the strangest look when she said that, as if something in the plan was changing and she wasn't quite as sure of herself as she had been.

Jasper came back from where ever he had been, I think he was scouting for... humans – it was weird for me to class them as a separate group, a separate species... but that's what they were now – to see if we needed to move any time soon. Apparently there was a hiking group in the forest and Jasper had listened carefully to their plans but we – or rather _they_ – were lucky, they didn't plan to come too close.

Over the first week of being a new born, I found out that vampires can't sleep, or cry, they clarified that I had super human strength and speed, I had heightened senses, they told me my skin was impervious to everything other than vampire and werewolf teeth and nails, and the only way to kill me was to rip me apart and burn the pieces, none of the clichéd stuff worked and Hollywood vampires were completely overrated. I also found out that some vampires had extra powers and that Jasper had the ability to sense and manipulate the emotions and moods of people around him.

It suddenly made sense why I felt so calm when he came back, why the crippling grief that plagued me before wasn't so... crippling. I was confused, then, once I had everything sorted out in my mind, I decided to take it a day at a time – but then if I was waiting for tomorrow then I would be waiting a _very _long time – but I would take everything as it came. The lack of sleep and the compulsion to sleep was weird, I no longer felt hunger and I found I could hold my breath indefinitely and I could stay utterly still for ever and not cramp up or become uncomfortable – I could still get bored though.

With my emotions under control, I was able to accept my new situation with surprising ease. Maybe, after a year and Rosalie and Jasper had deemed me _ready _and_ under control_, I could see Edward again, it gave me hope and I clung fiercely to that small seed of light, trying to ignore the Edward-shaped emptiness in my chest that only he could fill, not only because I couldn't function if I let myself feel that, but also because Jasper didn't deserve to feel that, he already felt so guilty that he turned me and Edward.

**Edwards pov**

Is Bella alright? Stupid question, is Bella alright considering the circumstances? ...still stupid question. But I couldn't stop worrying about Bella, I couldn't hear her screams any more but I myself was no longer screaming. No matter how many times I told myself that I, and more importantly Bella, would make it through this, I still couldn't stop the worrying. It was going to drive me insane.

It started really fuzzy and vague, just whisperings and muted voices, then everything started to become very loud, like everyone downstairs was talking right in my ear, and they just wouldn't shut up! I gritted my teeth against the pain, the worry and the incessant rambling that filled my ears. Maybe the torture and the mental anguish was driving me crazy, I heard that that can happen somewhere, but the voices belonged to the people downstairs, I'd already heard them arguing, when we first got here, but down it seemed like they were talking _constantly! _Did they not sleep? God, when would this end?!

I tried to change my focus onto the noise downstairs to distract me. I learnt many things; we were in Denali, there were four women and one man downstairs, Tanya, Rosalie, Kate, Irana and Jasper. Apparently, me and Bella were turning into vampires, this had to be a joke right? But what sick, twisted person tortures people as part of a joke? Vampires? Really?

I heard them leave to go hunt deer or something, and that honestly shocked me. I hadn't thought about... diet before but now I thought about it, killing people... I just couldn't do it.

Then I was surprised at my new ability to feel something beyond pain and worry... and thirst, I was going to drink my weight in water once I regained come measure of control over my limbs... no wait, I wouldn't be drinking water after this, I would be drinking blood, animal blood.

Gross.

Well, in theory it sounded gross, but I couldn't deny that my feeling of disgust was half-hearted, I couldn't deny that my body wanted the blood. My mouth was watering at the idea.

I learned that the end to our torture was close, just under a day away. And that would have made me overjoyed, if it wasn't for the fact that, at the same time as this, I also found out that they were planning to take Bella to a remote part of the forest in Canada, where there was plenty of wildlife and humans were scarce. So instead of being relieved to have the end in sight, I was the opposite, how could they take Bella away? If the fire hadn't burned away all my tears I was sure I would have cried. If I wasn't writhing in agony on a bed in a strange house I would have collapsed sobbing and completely broken down... possibly... probably... almost certain.

I heard them worry about controlling us because we would be so much stronger and driven by our instincts. I could feel the thirst in me, but I couldn't imagine letting it take over, I couldn't imagine wanting to kill someone. I couldn't imagine Bella capable of that either, but I guess I kind of appreciated their efforts to keep us out of temptation's way, but nothing seemed to justify not being able to see Bella for an entire _year! _Focus on something else! I decided that way was the only way to keep myself marginally sane.

My first clue was the strangeness of their interactions. It was extremely weird how one person would worry over something and then at some point would make a comment or ask a question and everyone would join in as if the conversation was just being brought up, they would go over everything that person had just said.

My final clue, which led me to sudden enlightenment and finally figuring out the weird, was a simple little question, it was quite obvious when I thought about it. It was when Jasper asked Rosalie – or Rose – what she was thinking.

Everything clicked into place then, I had been hearing people's _thoughts._ It was so obvious! I'd heard how some vampires could have extra powers, how Jasper can sense and control peoples emotions and how Kate could produce an electric shock if she touched someone. Could I be a mind reader?

I heard Rosalie and Jasper going to take Bella away, I had known it was coming, but that didn't make it much easier. Or perhaps it did make it slightly easier as, instead of becoming... well lets just say it wouldn't have been pretty, I focused on the thoughts of everyone in the house trying desperately to glean enough information so I would be able to get there on my own, if needed. I couldn't imagine not seeing Bella for a whole year, so, I decided then and there that I wouldn't wait a year, I _couldn't,_ I would go mad with longing.

With my focus being so furiously trained on people's thoughts in the rest of the house, I suddenly noticed that my hands were no longer burning, nor were my feet. Bella had been taken away three hours ago and only now was I feeling any form of relief, any form of physical relief.

The end was near, I could feel it. I could also hear it, and so could they, Tanya Kate and Irana. My heart was beating faster as the fire was constricting. When my heart was going so fast it sounded more like one continuous hum rather actual beating, and the fire in my chest and throat had intensified so it could no longer be described as merely "hot" and "painful", they gathered around me, waiting for the moment I would "wake up". I could hear their anticipation – and also them explaining out loud what was happening, I forgot they didn't know I was a mind reader.

The pain intensified infinitely, like there was an explosion in my chest, causing my heart to... stop. It just... _stopped._ How anticlimactic was that? But the pain – well the physical pain at least – was gone, and that was one huge relief.

I opened my eyes and looked at the assorted, vampiric faces watching me intently. I could feel the burning in my throat, but I tried to ignore it like I had heard them do in their heads for the last day. So I concentrated on everything else, and believe me, there was a _lot_ else to concentrate on!

I looked around the room with brand new eyes, details that couldn't have existed before suddenly jumped out at me, I could see every minute detail with perfect clarity. I took a moment to take in everything, the new sensations that I was feeling were surreal and I wondered why I was ever apprehensive about becoming a vampire. Of course, layered over that... was Bella, her face, her hair... just _her_, I shut my eyes again, I wasn't trying to block Bella out , in fact, I was trying to hold onto her image, keep it with me at all times because, even with the surreal beauty of vampire sight, nothing compared to Bella, nothing.

I had brand new ears too, my hearing range seemed to have suddenly multiplied by about ten. I could hear impossibly quiet sounds excellently, whereas before, I wouldn't have dreamed of their existence. Of course I was a little prepared for this, I had heard several memories of "waking up" and also of the first year – give or take – of nothing but heated thirst. That was literally all they could focus on. I had heard in their minds how they slowly gained control and managed to balance their needs, I heard it while they were trying to think of ways to help me get over my thirst quickly, I found that the memories really did help.

The second most devastating thing I was told was that, since I was a vampire and wouldn't age and looked too different for my family not to notice, I wouldn't be able to see _any_ of my family again.

Ever.

The first "day" was terrible, it was overwhelming, it was strange and frustrating and lonely and... - I might as well say it – Tanya was irritating. But if I thought that day was hard...

It was impossible to slip away in the first couple of weeks, I was being monitored 24/7 by at least one vampire, and the other two were never so far away that they wouldn't be able to hear if something happened and Tanya – or me but the main idea was that if they heard Tanya – shout for help.

It was infuriating not to have a single moment of privacy. I soon found myself working to control my temper as well as my thirst and by the third week, I was sure I had got the hang of it.

That was until Tanya decided to... seduce me – there was no other word for it.

I was in the living room with Kate, I was feeling very pleased with myself, I had smelled a human and not reacted! We had been in the woods near the house and we had just finished hunting and we were heading back when we caught the scent of some hikers, they were stopping off at the nearby town to get some more supplies before they continued their journey. We were on the edge of their trail so the scent was faded a little, but bloody hell did it pack a punch!

I recognised it immediately, and that recognition was the only thing that stopped me from charging down the path after the hikers and... well, you don't need me to tell you what would have happened.

I stiffened, locking all my muscles in place, including my diaphragm. My body was yearning to move forward, urging me to give in to my most carnal desires. My mind racing, only just reigning in my bodily needs before they took over, only they weren't needs. I didn't _need_ human blood, I was perfectly capable of surviving on animal blood, I _would_ survive on animal blood.

So, I stayed immobile, rooted to the spot until I was sure I would be able to make it back to the house without turning and going on a killing spree.

Well, it worked and now Tanya was thinking more about other things than trying to control me and my thirst. Damn, I knew she had been thinking about me that way, she had even faintly flirted with me, but I hadn't flirted back and her feelings weren't that strong, even now, with her thoughts unmasked, this was more about conquest. She was worried Kate or Irana would get to me first. It still didn't feel normal hearing people's thoughts, I didn't want to share it with anyone, there was something private about it, I decided the only person I would tell was Bella... at first anyway.

Oh dear.

She was sure of what she wanted, gratification. She was also sure I would comply, willingly, but like hell was I going to let her do _that_ to me.

"Edward?" she asked, slinking into the room, "you've been doing very well, so far, you've come a long way in such a small amount of time..."

Even without her thoughts as a guide, I could have seen where this was going, the hard part was turning her down gently... tactfully... oh god. "Erm... thank you?"

"Well, I was thinking that you deserve a reward for denying yourself so... sternly," I could tell she was trying to be sexy, or "irresistible" as she put it.

"Honestly, I'm fine," I tried to assure her as she moved closer to me, only a centimetre more and her hand would be brushing my arm.

"Come on Edward, you can't deny us this," she whispered to me as she circled to stand in front of me, her knees were brushing the fabric of my jeans, who did she think she was trying to come onto me like this?!

"I'm sorry Tanya," even though I was far from sorry, "but I really _don't_ want to do this," I said firmly, so she would get the message.

But hell, she was going to carry on trying anyway wasn't she? "Kate and Irana are out, we're all alone and no-one will be able to hear us," she leaned over me then offering me a full view down her top and whispering in my ear, "when I make you scream my name."

That was it. Right there. My limit. And Tanya waving as she passed it by.

"I said I don't want that!" I pushed her away from me as I stood up, "I don't want _you_," I spat at her, she advanced again, but I threw her through the window with all my newborn strength and bolted.

No-one was around to hear her, and I was going to find Bella. Her shock at my – forceful – rejection would slow Tanya down a lot, but I wasn't going to relax, I had a hell of a lot of distance to cover to get to Canada and my Bella. My three weeks of waiting and planning and obsessing were finally coming in useful.

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**A/N - **hey there...

apologies for the delay, but there was school (exams) and other stories (just the tip of the ice berg and torn in two - i know shameless self advertisement there =])

also. PLEASE REVIEW!! i dont even care if you thought my writing was crappy in this chappy (its not exactly my best chappy) but comments would be good!


	19. Chapter 19 confrontation

**Chapter 19 – confrontations**

_**Recap** - The week before this disaster of a week he had been so happy and carefree, my brother had been going out with one of my best friends! How much more perfect could that get? – and if anyone says, "with Bella out of the hospital," I'll shoot them! Stupid smartarses!_

_They just couldn't have disappeared... they just couldn't! They're safe! Nothings happened to them, they can't disappear! Tears dripped down my cheeks as I stared at my broken pencil. I didn't move, I couldn't, my muscles were too tensed up to even begin to relax... they just can't leave..._

**Alice's pov**

The bell rang, pulling me from my morbid reverie. I was tenser than ever as I made it back to my friends, what the hell was I going to do now?

"Bella and Edward weren't in English," I informed them, in a dead voice, it was just too hard to be cheerful, and I hated it.

"Who cares about Bella? She's been a real bitch lately, if I didn't know better I would say that she had transformed into Keira!" Angela scoffed.

I grimaced at her accuracy, "try the other way round." Angela cottoned on almost immediately, but it seemed to go straight over Mike and Ben's heads. I sighed and realised I would have to tell them the whole ugly story, "when Bella was discharged from the hospital Keira dyed her hair brown and pretended to be Bella, we found out when Edward had to go to Keira's house for a science project when she had been conveniently absent all week."

"So that's why you wanted Keira's address!" Angela exclaimed in her moment of enlightenment, but after a second she frowned, "but that doesn't explain why Edward and the real Bella are missing."

Well, here goes nothing, "well, when we got to the house, Keira opened the door and – cause we thought it was Bella – Edward tried to dump her," Ben and mike started nodding their heads in approval, "but she flung herself at Edward and tried to kiss him, the real Bella saw the whole thing, how Edward pushed Keira away but she still kept coming at him, then... the bitch fight ensued."

They were all gaping at me, we stood there for about a minute waiting for someone to say something to relieve the awkwardness, "finally," Angela sighed and we all started laughing and I was relieved that the awkwardness was gone.

But it didn't take long for the laughter to die down as everyone seemed to pick up on my mood, "well, Keira was going for Bella's ribs, but Edward pulled Bella out of Keira's reach so as not to damage her ribs further, but then Keira _actually_ said "I thought sisters weren't supposed to beat each other up," I mean, after all she did to Bella, she still had the _audacity_ to say that! …so Bella told Keira they weren't sisters any more and ran off into the woods and Edward ran after her." I finished with a little relief, it was good to let the story out while I was worried sick about them.

"And they haven't come back," Angela summarised softly but there was a hard, bleak edge to her voice.

I caught sight of her then, _Keira. _It was all her fault. She was so self-centred! How could she be such a bitch then still show up here like nothing even happened? She didn't even look a _little_ bit guilty, I could practically _see_ her smug arrogance radiating off her from here!

I walked over to her and before I knew completely what I was doing, I slapped her. She froze for a moment as her head snapped to the side, then she slowly turned on me in livid disbelief.

"Like what the hell was that for?" she hissed, outraged.

"You know bloody well what," I hissed back, "you think you can beat up your sister and leave her for dead over a _spider_, then steal her life and attempt to steal her boyfriend when she hasn't done _anything_ to you!"

"Bitch! Like who are you to judge me? I don't even know you!"

Did she seriously just call me a bitch? After all she's done_ she_ calls _me_ a bitch? What the hell is wrong with her? Is she delusional or something?

I launched at her then, she just made me so angry it was hard to keep everything in perspective. I knew it was a bad idea to get violent in the school halls, but that couldn't stop me. It even scared the hell out of me that I was doing this, but she would defend herself like I had seen her do before with Bella. I was still wary of using my nails and my legs, though. I sensed my friends behind me, neither egging us on nor breaking us up either, I could almost feel the grim satisfaction they felt at seeing Keira being... attacked.

However, I was small, a lightweight, while Keira was, not only bigger, but also slightly more experienced with bitch fights than me and once the surprise wore off, she gained the upper hand.

Teachers came then, breaking up the crowd of students that had flocked to the fight like flies to a jam jar. Both me and Keira got sent to the headmasters office, I saw Emmett in the "audience" as I was walking past, his face was a combination of proud and amused, so immature.

"Now, what is this all about?" asked the headmaster as he thrummed his fingers on his desk in an oddly disconcerting manner.

I cringed but before I could even start to defend my thoughtless actions, Keira spoke up, "er.. a fight?" she asked in a tone that suggested the answer should be obvious, which, truthfully, it was.

"I am well aware of that, however I wanted to know _why_ it started," he replied in a forced calm tone.

"Well, she came up and, like, slapped me then I called her a bitch, then she just, like, _threw_ herself at me!"

He turned to me, "is there anything you would like to add?"

"Well," I started speaking fast, I wanted to get it all out before he interrupted me, "on our first day here, Bella was being so nice and showing us around and introducing us to her friends, when Keira came along and started clinging onto my brother when he obviously tried to get rid of her Bella showed Keira a spider then she ran off embarrassing herself. Later that night we found Bella collapsed in an alley so we took her to the hospital, obviously, and throughout that week we visited her, bringing her homework and food and stuff and hanging out at the hospital, then when she was discharged Keira dyed her hair brown and came to school pretending to be Bella, however, we didn't like the "new Bella" then when my brother went round to dump "new Bella" she refused to accept it and started kissing him, but the _real_ Bella saw then got really angry and ran off into the woods and Edward followed her, not that I blame Bella or Edward really, but then they never came home last night and they haven't been at school all day and I was getting really worried about them cause ditching really isn't like them," I was panting when I finished, I was also praying for it to be a sufficient explanation.

**Emmett's pov**

It was such a happy day! I was so proud of my little sis! She was no longer afraid of physical violence! That time with Edward had really scared the living shit out of her! But that Keira girl must have really deserved it, then, for Alice to do that. I wonder what she did.

I made my way over to the people she had been talking with – or the people she'd been talking _at_, you never know with Alice – and asked what the other girl had done to turn Alice into a crazed fur-ball. The girl turned around and gave me a quick summary before going back to her friends leaving me gawking like a fish in surprise.

"Shit! That is some evil stuff!" I didn't know why I was surprised, so Bella was the girl we found in the alley that Edward had a crush on. I guess she hadn't turned bitchy after all, but still, that Keira is one evil little shit.

I made my way to the headmaster's office just in time to hear a god awful screeching coming from the other side of the door. Seriously, whoever made that sound should be hunted down and shot as a danger to mankind.

"That is like _so_ not fair! How come I get, like, suspended and she only gets a weeks worth of detentions? _She_ started it!" the screeching seemed scrape over and over at poor desecrated eardrums, I wouldn't have been surprised if they actually bled.

I heard the headmaster's voice then – sweet relief! – "because Alice has only been involved in one fight and has a good track record. _You_ on the other hand, Keira Swan, have gotten involved in three fights in the last month, impersonated your sister, skipped numerous lessons, have handed in almost no homework at all this year, have gotten drunk on many an occasion and have used inappropriate language against a fellow student and in front of a teacher," now that was a hefty list of charges.

Go Mr Wybrone! Woop! Show that bitch what you're made of! Unfortunately, the bell rang than and I had to go sit through the most boring teacher ever drone on in the most boring voice ever, about the most boring subject ever. Not good.

Mum and dad will _not _be happy about this. Ha, for once its the perfect pixie that's in trouble not me! Ooh, this'll be good!

Alice was still really riled up when we got home, mum and dad were majorly pissed as well, luckily, there wasn't any real damage done on either side, apparently that was the only thing that kept Alice from a more severe punishment. Oh, and the school was launching an inquiry as to how Keira could have gotten away with pretending to be Bella for almost an entire week! Sweet!

But the bad news – other than the raging shit-storm that was waiting for Alice when we got home – was that they could only put Keira in internal isolation for the moment, cause any more severe punishment required parental involvement, and since her dad was away for work and they couldn't contact him... But that's kinda better though, if you think about it, cause she bunks a lot anyway, a forced absence from school wouldn't be much of an effective punishment for her, especially if she gets her friends to bunk with her.

I thought I would enjoy the shouting match downstairs – relishing in the fact that I wasn't the victim this time – I thought it would be hilarious that the pixie wasn't so perfect any more – and don't get me wrong, it _was_ funny – but it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Now I wasn't directly emotionally involved, I could hear the disappointment in my parent's voices, I hadn't stopped to consider the impact of my actions on them before, but not only that, but I could hear Alice's wild remorse and worry and desperation and sadness and guilt – yet she was still grounded.

After the shouting and Alice's tears had subsided, it was still awkward after dinner, Alice wasn't her usual bubbly self and the tension was palpable. Mum and dad were still stressed over Alice's... outburst, at school, and and Alice was just sitting there playing with her food dejectedly, damn. I shovelled my food down my throat faster than usual in an attempt to get out of there quicker, just sitting at the table gave me goose bumps! I shuddered at the thought.

That night I was laying in bed – I was unable to sleep, but it wasn't late enough for me to have giving up hope on drifting off that night – I heard a timid knock on my door. There was only one person who that could be, I guess the perfect pixie couldn't handle a little trouble and a grounding then.

I opened the door to find a pale, teary-eyed Alice gazing up at me. The combination of the milky moonlight and her midnight hair made her skin shine and eerie silver. She looked ghostly, and when she spoke her voice only added to the illusion, her voice was horse and so quiet I had trouble hearing it.

"Can I sleep with you?" she whispered up at me, and I didn't have the heart to say no, even if I wanted to.

As she came and lay down next to me, cuddling into my side, I fought back all the jokes and snide remarks that were running round my head, I had millions of them, all waiting to spring forth into the chill night air...and fall on cold, unappreciative ears. I couldn't stand serious atmospheres, people think I'm oblivious to the deep, serious emotions and that it all goes over my head, while I remain blissfully wrapped up in my own bouncy world of bad jokes and sexual innuendoes. But the opposite is true.

In fact, I'm all too aware of heavy atmospheres, nothing goes over my head and I'm painfully conscious deep emotions. I just don't deal with them well. I purposefully shy away from seriousness and keep myself upbeat and try to always lighten the atmosphere with humour... and food. I've been doing it so long now, I guess its become second nature to me. So, it was really hard now to stop everything from spilling from my mouth, to exercise some self control.

I managed it, but I still didn't deal well, I couldn't find the words to comfort my little sis, so I just laid there until she spoke.

"What do you think really happened to Edward?" she whispered.

She was so sad, it was a shock to the system to hear her like that. Did Alice do the same as me? Force herself to become bubbly and... Alice-like – as if she had taken a few too many caffeine pills – to avoid the darkness? To avoid all the ugly emotions that come with being serious and... normal?

Damn, we were all running away weren't we? All those who stuck together those twelve years ago, we were the pathetic ones, my jokes, Alice's energy, Esme's moving and Carlisle's dedication to his work . In a way I was kinda proud of Edward for facing up and sticking to his guns. We all saw what happened, and we all blamed him and accused him of moping, but he was the only one to truly feel, to go through the barbed wire and come out the other side – maybe with a few scratches but in one piece. For the first time, I noticed his witty self wasn't at dinner, how long did he need alone with his girlfriend?

Damn, I gotta break that habit, jokes aren't going to heal anything, just like they didn't twelve years ago. Oh, Alice is expecting an answer.

"I don't know, but we'll be able to report him and Bella missing tomorrow, they've been gone over twenty-four hours now," the truth, I gotta go with the truth.

"Thanks, Emmett, for taking me seriously for once," again I heard her feeble whisper as she drifted off, feeling way too fragile next to me.

Breakfast the next morning was quiet – again. I wondered if mum and dad knew about what Keira had done. No-one spoke until Alice asked again if anyone knew where Edward was.

Her quiet voice seemed to make the tension snap, and reform itself into a new kind of tension, one made of worry, instead of laced with it. Esme and Carlisle looked at each other, I saw their eyes widen and could almost hear the thoughts in their heads, they were panicking because they forgot Edward was missing, I did too, until Alice reminded me.

But that realisation spurred us into action, we all got ready and went to the police station, now we had shifted our focus it was even harder to stay positive, losing my brother was something not even me and Alice could avoid. Plus I don't think any of us actually said sorry to him, we all just kinda started talking again, it was like an unspoken rule that everything was alright again, but now... I wished I could've actually said sorry. I suddenly needed him to be sure of my remorse, just like I needed to be sure of his forgiveness.

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**A/N - **well well well, my lovelies, we meet again. Bet you weren't expecting that little chappy there were you?

any questions/comments/any form of review welcome (or needed!)

plus i have another vote for you... who wants a sequel? (i kinda have a plot outlined in my head/on a postit on my wall)

AT LEAST 5 reviews for the nxt chappy please! thnk you! =]


	20. Chapter 20 reunite

**A/N – **sorry if the geography in this chapter isn't quite right, I live in England so you'll just have to put up with me. =]

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**Chapter 20 - reunite  
**

**Bella's pov**

"So you've been living on animals for sixty years?" I asked.

"Yeah," was all Rosalie said, she seemed marginally uncomfortable with my questioning, but it didn't seem too bad.

"Wow, sixty whole years of nothing but animal blood," I said slightly in awe, then she shifted _really _uncomfortably.

"Erm..." she looked at me uneasily and I nodded for her to continue, "well, there are times when we just... lose control, slip up. It's never intentional of course, and we always regret it instantly, but sometimes it's just _impossible_ to resist, I mean the last time _I_ slipped up was twelve years ago..." she trailed off and sighed.

"What happened?" I was part horror-struck, part curious and part excited that she was sharing something so personal with me.

"Well, it happened much like it did with you, I was hunting and this guy had just broken down on the motorway, he had even cut himself trying to fix his car, and my bloodlust was already in control at that point so... Jasper got to me in time to prevent me draining him completely and we took him in while he transformed. We tried to teach him to hunt animals instead of humans... but he wasn't having any of it and went off with some ginger vampire called Victoria."

"Oh," there really wasn't much else to say until a seed of doubt planted itself in my mind, "So I could go like that too? I could just turn around and hunt humans when I get tired of the animals?" I was really worried now, I didn't want to hunt humans, my family were humans, my friends were humans... but my boyfriend was hundreds of miles away probably going through all these confusing adjustments as well... or so I thought.

"I don't think so, you've been really controlled and... _mild_ for a newborn..." she trailed off.

I knew what she was thinking, "but there's always the chance right? The chance that I _could_ end up like that," I finished bleakly.

"That's very unlikely, Bella," she tried to comfort me and I let her, I didn't have the will to argue, I could feel the familiar change in my thoughts as they started drifting to Edward... again.

It was later that day when Rosalie got a call from Tanya. I watched with first curiosity, then horror as Rosalie's face from across the large clearing went from being disbelieving, then mad, then panicked. I couldn't make out what they were saying as they used hushed tones that I couldn't hear from where I sat.

Rosalie hung up the phone then and walked back over to me, she looked like she was deliberating over something.

"Rosalie? What's wrong? What's happened?" I asked panicking already that something had happened to Edward as my uncontrollable curiosity burst forth from my lips.

She bit her lip, deciding whether to tell me or not, "That boy you were with, how do you know him?" she changed the subject... _or maybe not_ I thought as that call could have had everything to do with Edward.

I was almost afraid to answer, "he's my boyfriend," she simply nodded to herself as if that were the answer she had been expecting, but not hoping for, "what is it? What's happened to Edward?" I was unable to keep the desperation I felt out even a whisper.

"Well... he's kinda... run off."

I instantly started panicking, where would he go? Back to his family? Did he not know the rules? What if the Volturi got to him? How could they not have explained the rules to him? ...But what if... what if he wanted human blood? What if he was going the same way as the last person Rosalie changed did? Did he give in so easily? What if I do the same? Would I be me any more? Is Edward still Edward? ...Would I still love him? ...Yes, and I would try my best to get him to feed from animals.

I looked back up at Rosalie as she started to explain more, "apparently they thought Edward had been doing really well, so Irana and Kate went on a long hunting trip leaving Tanya with Edward, then she... started... _flirting_ with him and he just took off. Apparently, He's the fastest vampire Tanya's ever seen."

"Well, _yay_ for Tanya than," I said sarcastically, I couldn't really find any friendship or sympathy in me towards her, but then again, she was flirting with _my boyfriend!_

I was angry, I was disappointed, I was sad, lonely, confused. But most of all, I was longing for him. In the short time I had known him, he had made such an impression on my heart and soul. I loved him, I was _in love_ with him, I didn't just _like him in that way._ My every thought was tinted with my longing for Edward, my every action worked to conceal how much I missed him, just _being_ with him was incomparable. I would follow him to the end of the world. That was why I would live secluded with him, just so he didn't have to be a murderer, I would give up my home, my family, my friends, gymnastics, future, _life, _all over again for him. I just hoped he would give up humans for me.

He would, wouldn't he? Did I mean enough to him for him to do that for me? What would I do if he didn't? Would I stay with him and watch him murder innocents over and over again? Would I leave him to spent the rest of eternity longing for him like I have been these last three weeks? Does Edward feel the same? Does he even miss me at all? It had been a grand total of five weeks since I had first met him; one of those I was in hospital for and we hadn't been officially dating yet: another, Edward thought he was going out with me when in actual fact he had been going out with my evil twin – who happened to be so much of a bitch that he had to dump her – and the last three we have been separated... as vampires.

Rosalie came and sat down next to me, gingerly putting her arm round my shoulder, " Tanya Kate and Irana are searching for him, don't worry, they wont let anything happen to him," but I found it hard to be reassured.

She tried to console me, but it quickly became obvious that nothing she could have said would have worked. The only way I would have been calmed was for her to present me with Edward, safe and unharmed, preferably sooner rather than later.

"When?" I asked.

Rosalie frowned in confusion, "When what?"

"When did he... _run off?_" I clarified, although I knew that obsessing over it would be _excruciating_, I had some sick, masochistic desire to hear every little detail, search for any clue that might tell me where he was going and what he was doing.

"About forty minutes ago," she told me softly, as if the tone of her voice could alleviate the pain of the information, soften the blow the clue dealt, but I knew she could have said any time period and it would've felt the same.

"Will they be able to catch up with him... before anything happens?"

"Depends on how fast he runs... and how smart he is, they'll probably try to track him, following his scent, but if he comes across a river and uses that to his advantage... then it... doesn't look good," at least she was being truthful, not trying to comfort me with hollow promises, and meaningless words.

That didn't ease my nerves now. Jasper went on a hunting excursion, his eyes _had_ been getting a little dark recently but I knew I was making him extremely uncomfortable, I was even making Rosalie uncomfortable and she wasn't exactly big on empathy. But her worried looks were starting to get to me, so after a couple of days I decided I needed some alone time to think.

I ran a little way – little as in it took me ten minutes to run there – into the woods and sat down by a tree, I placed my head in my hands like it had grown heavy with all the weighty thoughts swirling around in there.

**Edward's pov**

I searched through my memories of Rosalie's plans of leaving with Bella as I ran. Wow, that was one complicated sentence. But Rosalie's plans back then had been vague, mainly just running east into Canada and avoiding humans. Great plan.

In truth, it was good, even with it's simplicity, but that didn't help me! I couldn't even follow their trail as my vampire nose wasn't familiar with their scents. And, not to mention, their trail would have disappeared by now anyway, being three weeks old, plus it had to have rained since then, washing out the scent even more.

Before long I came to a wide river, this was good, without hesitation, I jumped into it and started swimming upstream. Water would hide my scent, they couldn't smell my trail in the river and my scent would be diluted when I got out, they would spend quite a bit of time searching for my scent on the opposite bank, I almost created a false trail but didn't know how much time I would have, I'm sure Tanya would have called Kate and Irana as soon as she got over the shock.

I swam effortlessly against the current and emerged five miles upstream. It was weird not having to come up for breath as I swam, I had barely gotten used to the whole optional aspect of breathing that I now had. But I couldn't think about that, I was furiously working out in my mind all the possible places Bella could have been taken.

I launched myself out of the water, pushing off from the rocky riverbed and spraying drops everywhere. I landed a good way from the edge of the river and started running as soon as my feet hit the ground. Part of my mind marvelled over my new found speed as I flew through the air weaving in and out of trees, moving so fast that everything should have all been lost in a blur of green, yet my eyes could still pick out every lime vein on the jade leaves, each emerald blade of grass shooting out of the ground me feet barely seemed to touch.

Three weeks had been a very long time. It was a long time for them to have gone literally anywhere in the world, but it had also been long and hard to live through. I had ached for Bella from the minute I found out that she was going to be taken away. I couldn't help but feel like a toddler who had just had his favourite toy taken away at that thought, but the feeling was so much stronger. My legs yearned to run, to carry me across thousands of miles just to see her beautiful face again. My fingers itched to reach out and grab her soft hand. I longed to taste her warm, cherry lips on mine again, I craved just her presence.

I was in love.

I, Edward Cullen, was in love with Bella Swan.

It had taken me five weeks to consciously acknowledge that, but I had a feeling that I kind of knew it all along. Why else would we keep coming back together? No matter what gets in our way, whether it's an injury, a hateful twin... or changing species. We would get back together, right?

Damn, what if she isn't interested any more now we're both... different? My feelings haven't changed, I doubt they could have, even if I tried. I only just realised how deep my love for her was, it was soul deep, it was constant through even changing species. I couldn't believe something that powerful could be only one sided, it would just kill me if she rejected me now.

I was spurred on by longing and desire, it was a physical need I had to be close to Bella, I hadn't been managing very well on my own, I had been covering it up but now I was getting closer to her, I couldn't fail, I _had_ to succeed. All other thoughts were banished from my mind, my sole purpose for living at that moment was to find Bella. I know, I'm obsessed, I also know it probably wasn't healthy, but what was the protocol for "healthy" vampires? My body and mind had changed. Surely something this good couldn't be that bad? I wonder if they said that about heroine.

Bella was constantly on my mind, one of the downsides of running away was the lack of distractions, not that anything could have really distracted from her absence, but it was worse when I had nothing to think about. My mind went back to about five weeks ago, my first Friday in Forks. The woodpecker was back and etching Bella's name into the back of my skull again. In some ways, this separation was better, and worse. This time I wasn't so worried about her well-being, but last time I only had to wait till the end of the day to see her, but three weeks had already been too long.

I sped through the trees and over the mountainous Alaska terrain, not having a solid idea specifically of where I was going, I just knew I had to get to Bella and I had to do it before the terrible trio caught up with me. My best chance would be to keep moving, if I caught the scent of some other vampires; I would proceed with caution – surely they wouldn't get defensive if I was on my own and told them I meant no harm – if I caught the scent of humans; I would do the same as last time – hold my breath and wait till I was sure I wouldn't follow the trail before I ran away.

But wouldn't I be able to _hear_ them? Hear their intentions? What they thought of me? Whether I was a threat? I had never really tested this mind-reading thing before, did it only work on vampires? Did it only work on women? Did it only work on vampires that I had met? What was the range? Would it be normal hearing range? Longer? Shorter? I had _no idea_ how this thing worked!

I could handle this, I could handle this, I could handle this.

Then why was I panicking?

I wished I had my phone on me, then I could just phone her and ask her to meet me somewhere recognisable – if she could get away from Rosalie and jasper that is – but like the idiot I am, I left it at home... _home_.

Damn, I missed home, and they were missing me right now, probably worried sick – unless they thought I was dead – but then they would be mourning... had they given up hope yet? No, I can't think about that now, there's nothing I can do about that, I have to concentrate on what I _can_ do something about... on what I _am_ doing something about... o_ne_ thing I can set right.

After almost a day, 20 solitary hours of running and searching – maybe they didn't actually get to Canada – I was over the Canadian border. Rosalie said – or thought – whatever – that they would stay in Canada for a while. A while would definitely include three weeks... I hope.

Once I was in Canada I slowed down a little, I was still too fast for a human, but I wanted to take extra care, I didn't want to miss anything. I wasn't going to let pure carelessness or just being impatient and rushing ruining my chances in this. I was most definitely _not_ going to mess this up.

Damn, I looked around and finally remembered some dregs of geography lurking in the back of my mind; Canada was _big._ I mean, seriously _huge._ Even as a vampire I knew I had a lot of ground to cover. I was lost, I had no idea where to start and no clue as to whether my search would end in Canada or not, I guess my plan wasn't exactly as well thought out as I originally thought.

I ran for a bit more, anxiety and doubt rapidly creeping up on me. What had I done? What would happen when Tanya Kate and Irana catch up with me? I shuddered thinking about Kate's "gift". I would struggle obviously, and it would probably destroy any faith they had in me, the only way would be to find Bella. I would keep looking for however long it takes, I didn't need sleep, I could keep moving constantly for days, weeks, months, even years if I had to, but – if I'm honest – the sooner the better.

I kept running, searching for a scent, _anything_ that could help me find Bella. After three weeks I felt like a starved druggie, desperate for another hit, _craving_ it, craving Bella. I spent almost another day searching, going left and right, avoiding roads and towns as I knew they were the one place that Bella wouldn't be. I had no idea how much distance I covered, I was still getting used to the new vampire speed, and if I was as fast as Jasper had been that day in the forest in Forks, then I was faster than the human eye could keep up with – which was pretty fast.

I slowed to a walk as I considered which direction to go it next; to the bigger expanses of relatively untouched forest in the north, or towards the better hunting opportunities further east? I knew I had to keep moving to keep from being found, and to be closer to Bella, but I just wanted to lay down right there and escape for a minute or two. I was so immersed in my thoughts I hadn't really noticed a small rustle to the side, vampires were the only realistic threat now and I would hear the thoughts behind the rustle if there was a threat.

I heard a small gasp and whirled around. The gasp had been feminine and unmistakably human – or vampire but you get the idea – and an irrational surge of panic filled me as I immediately dropped into a defensive crouch. I looked up to find wide deep amber eyes staring back at me framed by smooth alabaster skin and shiny, chocolate curls.

"Bella?" I whispered in awe, I was positive it was Bella crouching before me in a stance that mirrored my own, before I quickly straightened – if it wasn't then this had to be a cruel trick of fate.

Bella was in my arms in the next second, she had flung herself at me with enough force to knock me down. She clutched me tightly and I responded with enough pressure to communicate that, if it was up to me, I wouldn't ever let her go. She pulled her head up to look at me and slapped my chest lightly.

"What was that for?" it was hard to sound outraged or complain to her about anything, I almost welcomed the slap, it was another thing telling me Bella was really here, in my arms.

"For making me worry so damn much!" she cried and sobbed into my shoulder, I'm sure my shoulder would have been soaked if we hadn't been vampires.

"Sorry," I murmured, I truly hadn't wanted her to worry about me, but I'd done more than my fair share of worrying about her.

**Alice's pov**

I didn't like the police station, it was grey, cold and imposing. Though that was probably more for the benefit of the criminals, it still made me shiver. I forced myself not to think of that and tried to be... appropriately upbeat? Which turned out to be wild with worry and frustration.

Mum walked right up to the bored, fat man sitting behind a desk, the colour of the uniform obviously didn't agree with him, and his tie was all wrong as well, I sighed as he started to talk, "Hello, I'd like to report a missing person, please."

"Missing people," I corrected, I couldn't stop my mouth from moving, but it was the truth, Bella was missing as well.

The officer sighed, "when were... _they_ last seen?"

I recounted the story once again, I had told it way too many times recently, I just wanted to forget it and find them, was that such a bad thing to want?

"And this happened on Thursday?" the officer checked.

"Yeah, three days ago."

"Well, it would help to have any recent pictures of them that you have," he looked expectantly at us, but we could only provide him with a photo of Edward.

The weekend was strained, we all tried to remain hopeful, and the subject of my missing twin was never mentioned. I hated it, I hated missing him. Life was so unfair. I didn't want to think about it, that would only make me more upset, then everyone would be upset because we'd all be sitting around wallowing over it. I refused to look at the piano in the corner of the living room, Edward's presence was marked all over it, it was impossible to look at it and not be reminded of him. It was painful to look at, but moving it would require acknowledging everything, the fact that Edward was gone, and that the piano was a constant reminder.

I was almost glad for school to start again, so I didn't have to think about it. We tried to live normally, but I could sense another move coming up if they weren't found... alive.

**A/N - **alrighty guys lets get up to 60 reviews before the next chapter! you can do this! ...please? *puppy dog eyes*


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 - starting new lives means the end of old ones  
**

**Edward's pov**

Relief and desire coursed through my veins as our embrace deepened into kissing and muttered "I love you"s and whispered promises never to leave the other again. A tidal wave of emotion broke over me and drowned me, the sobbing exploded out of my chest. I clutched on tighter almost afraid my world would disappear in a puff of smoke and only my grip was keeping her here.

I smiled as my sobs and Bella's sobs quietened, "I cant believe I found you so quickly," I whispered, and truly I was having a hard time believing I got so lucky.

Seeing her as a vampire made me feel so much more strongly... about everything, especially Bella. It was almost total sensory overload. My mind and body had grown stronger, it only made sense that my emotions had as well, now that I was strong enough to bear them. I was right where I belonged, I was home, AKA, Bella. I was with Bella. The sense of release was so great, it almost broke me. As it was, my mind seemed to be paralysed while my body took over. I pressed Bella closer to me, as if she could be absorbed into me so we would never have to be separated again.

I had been in love with Bella before but that was a weak, fickle, childish love. A love that stayed on the surface, small and insignificant. When I saw Bella for the first time I was suddenly completely submerged in the feeling, it was drowning me yet lifting me higher than I had ever been before. It was working its way through me, changing every cell in my body, so that everywhere was stamped with my all-consuming love for Bella. Even with my many-layered mind and heightened senses, I didn't even notice that we had knocked down a tree... or two, until Rosalie cleared her throat awkwardly.

I purposefully didn't read into her thoughts – I'd gotten a lot of practice of tuning stuff out with Tanya – and just watched as she slowly smirked. She knew this day would come, when me and Bella would be united. She just wasn't expecting it to be so soon and after thinking I'd ditched the entire Denali coven in search of human blood. The irony wasn't lost on me.

In less than a second, Bella was upright and had pulled me to my feet as well. I could see her grin through Rosalie's eyes, and it matched mine. We were both flying high, it was the most intense, _best_ feeling ever. Fact.

Rosalie stared at us for another minute then shook her head and went to phone Tanya, Kate and Irina. I shuddered at the thought of them coming back here. Bella noticed my shudder and turned to gaze quizzically at me.

That was when I noticed it.

I couldn't hear Bella's thoughts. I frowned, confused. Then I tried... actively _trying_ to read her mind. That didn't work either. Then Bella turned confused as well, oh, I forgot she didn't know I could read minds.

"I cont read you mind," I whispered in wonder, being with her was refreshingly quiet, "I mean, since becoming a vampire... I've been able to read minds, but you... I cant read you."

"Oh... I'm not doing it on purpose. Honestly." she said, her innocent eyes widened, begging me to believe her. I couldn't help my laughter, she was just so _funny_.

We went to join Rosalie and Jasper after it was sorted that me and Bella would stay together, I told them about my telepathy and explained how I knew where to find them through that. I told them that I couldn't hear Bella's thoughts, but Jasper found that strange because he could sense and manipulate her emotions – I could even hear him do it! I smiled as I sensed all the love between us vampires, even though I felt nothing more than polite friendship for Rosalie and Jasper yet, they both had a deep-rooted affection for each other and the seeds of attachment towards Bella. But what made my mood soar higher than the sky itself was the love between me and Bella. The way he sensed emotions was like looking into a calm pool, the emotions were there; but detached and weakened slightly, what he felt between us was amazing and strong and beautiful, but nothing compared to truly experiencing it. And I saw Bella felt exactly the same as me.

We decided to spend a few more months isolated in the forest – just to avoid temptation when we were still so young – and move on to another town. We would try a sparsely populated town first, with plenty of woods and clouds – ironic really, that the town that fit that description perfectly, would be the town that we couldn't go back to... not for another eighty or so years.

I sighed thinking wistfully of home. I felt horrible for abandoning my family, they don't know how to cope when disaster strikes... and now I _am _the disaster. I felt guilt and worry eat away at me, but what could I do? I was stuck in a bad situation... with regards to my family. But I could hear people's thoughts! I could run faster than the speed of light, I was immensely strong, I had incredible senses... and everything was more intense. My love for Bella had grown so strong, it seemingly defied the laws of nature... I wouldn't give that up for the world.

We decided to head for Appalachia, a small town in Virginia, very close to Kentucky. It was a small town, spread out and surrounded by forests, it was perfect. But that wouldn't be until six months had passed.

It was as strange and unpleasant as I thought it would be; living in the forest. None of us needed any food we wouldn't be able to hunt out here. Comfort was starting to become a foreign concept as vampires found everything comfortable, uneven ground that would dig into a human was just like sitting on a textured rug, twigs slipped past our skin like caressing silk, temperature no longer brought any pain with the extremes of hot or cold. Having eternity stretching on before you and new mind, built to contain the capacity for comprehending such a span of time made boredom and irritability not really an issue.

As if I could be bored when I was with Bella.

But living in the forest did have it's drawbacks; I could no longer play the piano. Or the guitar. I often found my fingers itching to run fluidly across the ivory keys or strum across the musical strings. The forest was silent. It would be eerie and frightening sometimes... if we weren't vampires. I could tell that Bella often had the same cravings as me to do gymnastics, but – unlike me – she couldn't really take part in that even when we re-entered civilisation. I still saw her practising though.

Plus, we were still getting accustomed to being newborns, I saw being in the forest as a sort of transitional phase, between being human and being vampire. Our time as humans had drawn to a close and as our eyes were slowly showing our own blood draining out of our system; the last vestiges of our former human selves - apart from memories - slipped away, leaving our golden eyes filled with the blood of animals inside the bodies of vampires.

The transformation of our eyes took four months to complete. By this time, I barely gave a thought to my thirst, and Bella told me she felt the same. So, Rose and Jaz decided to test us by leading us across old human trails. Having smelt the scent of humans once before, I was more prepared than Bella and didn't react, although Bella only stiffened in response and gradually relaxed after twelve minutes. Our _mentors_ seemed pleased and over a few weeks we were able to walk into towns around people... holding our breath. But me and Bella were determined not to become murderers.

The real test would come when we moved to Appalachia, when we started our new lives as vampires.

**Keira's pov**

I hated Bella. Like, what did she think she was trying to pull when she disappeared? I mean, I had like no clean clothes left, I was feeling all greasy from all the take-outs I'd had recently, was she, like, trying to prove a point or something? She's so fucking selfish, like a little, spoilt brat just going attention seeking everywhere all the time. Bitch.

I like, stared at the stupid fucking washing machine that was just blatantly refusing to cooperate. Stupid piece of good-for-nothing scrap metal. I could feel my eyes, like, stinging with rebellious tears that insisted they just _had_ to fall. I kicked the washing machine, like, _really_ hurting my toe, then braced my back against the wall and slid down it, why was everything, like, so fucking hard? Edward had been gone all week as well – Bella obviously stole him away with her, cause _she_ just gets _everything_ she wants!

I had been in isolation all of last week, but they couldn't keep me in for another week so yesterday I had gone to biology to see Edward... and he just, like, _wasn't fucking there!_ Well, I hope they're having a nice time together – wherever they are... _not!_

Doesn't she actually, like, realise people still exist while she's not here? Life fucking goes on.

I screamed and hit the washing machine again, "Stupid fucking piece of junk!" it was just like my bitch ex-sister, works when it wants to, but not when you need it the most.

Tears of frustration ran down my face, like why the fuck was she doing this to me? Why should _I_ be tortured like this? Suddenly I wanted my daddy home. He never told anyone his work number cause it's like, top secret, untraceable and used on secret operations, he can't have people phoning him up all the time at work. Next time he comes home, I'm like, not letting him go away again.

It had been a week since Bitchella had disappeared, you would have thought she'd got like, bored by now. She better come soon, get that fucking elf Alice off my back. _Jesus _that... whatever she is – takes overprotective to a whole other fucking level. She keeps like, blaming everything on me, well it's not _my_ fault my sister ran away with her brother. Maybe he just got fucking sick of hearing her bloody voice all the time, can't say I fucking blame him if he like, wanted a break from _that. _

That thought got me a slap. It was funny how her slap was like, totally weightless. I told her so and she like, ran off fucking _crying._ Well, she can just fuck off, she's still getting fucking fed, still getting her fucking clothes washed, still has food in the fucking cupboards, I don't know where the hell Bitchella got the fucking money to go shopping from. I can get my boyfriend to buy me clothes, but food is like a completely different matter! There's no fun in food shopping!

I heard the door rattle a little before it opened. I launched myself out of the room towards the door; if it was Bitchella coming back, I would fucking _murder_ her; if it was daddy coming home, I would jump straight into his arms and see what present he got me.

"Daddy!" I squealed when I saw it was him and like, threw myself straight at him.

He caught me but immediately put me down. My eyes searched him for my present but he didn't have one with him, maybe it was in the car? But before I could ask, he started speaking, "Is it true? Is Bella missing?" he asked frantically.

God! He doesn't see me for ages, then when he does, he forgets my present then is straight away asking about Bitchella! I wanted to tell him to fuck off, that no-one cares about Bitchella and that he was _my_ daddy too. But he was a cop, and was very good at interrogations, one look at his face told me he was being deadly serious and I better answer or else...

I huffed frustratedly and crossed my arms, "Yeah, she ran off with the new boy, Edward Cullen."

He gets really angry then and storms off to get into his car and drives away. Fine! Forget about me why don't you! All you fucking care about is Bitchella! You always come home when _she's_ in trouble!

**Alice's pov **

Three weeks.

It had been three weeks and they'd found nothing. Not even a _trace_ of evidence to lead them to Bella and/or Edward. Even though it was pretty obvious that they couldn't have survived in the forest for three weeks, the police couldn't close the case or pronounce them dead yet. And it drove us all mad with worry and anticipation. We were all hanging on, waiting with baited breath for the phone to ring and the police to tell us they'd found them. It was cruel really. But I couldn't blame Charlie for not giving up.

I collapsed on my bed, thinking about the scene two weeks ago when Charlie arrived at our house, banging on the door in a rage.

_I jumped at the sound of the fierce banging on the door. The house had been too quiet without Edward. Sure Edward himself was quiet, but for a week we had been deprived of the gentle sound of the piano or the lazy strumming of his guitar that gave a nice background to life at home. I tried to solve the problem once by putting on a CD of classical music... but it wasn't the same. _

_I sat quietly as mum went to answer the door. An angry man in a suit barged into the room and started looking around wildly. _

"_Where is he?" he demanded, "Where's Edward Cullen?" _

_My twin's name tugged mercilessly at my heartstrings. I stared bewilderedly at the stranger in my home demanding to know where my missing brother was like the whole town didn't know that him and Bella were missing. _

_I could see my mum bite her lip in response to hearing him looking for Edward _here._ "He's not here," mum said quietly, "Him and his girlfriend Bella went missing a week ago." _

_He turned on my mum then, "What?" he shouted, "Bella had a boyfriend and I didn't know?" _

_Both me and my mum were confused then, "Excuse me but, who are you?" my mum tried to ask politely. _

_He blanched then and collapsed on the sofa opposite me and hung his head in his hands. He looked utterly defeated. I glanced at my mum, confused by the man's strange behaviour, my mum looked back, just as confused. _

"_I'm Chief Swan," he looked up at us then, "Do you... do you know when...?" he pleaded with us. _

_My mum looked at me and came to sit next to me and held my hand. I was glad of her support as I started my story, "Well, Edward needed to meet with Keira – Bella's sister – because he was her partner in biology and Keira hadn't been at school all week. But Keira had been pretending to be Bella for the week, cause Bella had been off school cause Keira and her friends had attacked her in revenge for... something. So when Keira answered the door, we thought she was Bella, so Edward tried to dump her because we didn't really like her, but then the real Bella came out of the house as Keira was trying to kiss Edward, then they kind of had a fight but Edward pulled Bella off Keira then Bella ran off into the woods really upset and then Edward went after her... And we haven't seen them since" I finished on the brink of tears._

_Chief swan was staring at me in disbelief, "Keira? It was Keira who did that to Bella?" _

_I nodded, "probably, Angela suggested the idea – because apparently it's happened before – but Bella said she didn't want to say anything this time. She promised that this would be the last time she let Keira do that to her." _

"_I've been away too much, far too much." Chief Swan looked up at me, "This search will be top priority,here and in neighbouring towns. Have you given recent pictures into the station?" _

_I nodded as he stood up and glanced briefly around the room. His breath caught as he saw one of our pictures displayed on the wall. He strode straight up to it and pointed at Edward, "Is this him? Is this Edward?" _

_Again I nodded, I couldn't think of anything else to say, should I explain more about me brother? Explain more about how he was going out with Bella? But Chief Swan saved me the hassle, "I saw him... at the hospital. He was with Bella when she got an infection..." he mused, "He was the one that brought her in... saved her life... He saved my daughter from her sister... I wont rest until I find them." he vowed, his voice turning full with conviction and determination as he turned to look at us to say the last sentence. Then he walked out of the door. _

Since then, Chief Swan had moved back home to lead the search for Bella and Edward and to handle Keira. If it was up to me, she would be in prison... but I suppose Chief Swan doesn't want to put his remaining daughter in prison. Unfortunately. I tried to console myself with the thought that it was only a matter of time before Keira acted out again and actually _would_ land herself in prison.

But that was two weeks ago. Three weeks since we reported them missing. How long does it usually take for missing people to turn up again? How far could they get in three weeks with no money?

I also found it odd that the girl who Emmett had a huge crush on suddenly disappeared at the same time. Only they had moved to Alaska... apparently. But I could tell that mum was getting uncomfortable around Forks, all the memories of Edward... we were going to move again. As soon as the police closed the case, finding nothing; we would move. That's just the way it was with mum.

It occurred to me that mum had lost faith in finding Edward... as had I. Dad had been at the hospital so much that I could hardly remember his face, let alone try and work out how he was feeling about the search. We were trying to cope... but that was Edward's thing. Maybe we would be moving sooner than the cessation the search.

I sighed. We would be moving on, leaving Edward behind. I hated it, my dream from the night they went missing was still haunting me, I had no idea what it meant but I suspected there was nothing I could do. I didn't want to start a new life somewhere else, especially not as a twin.

A mere three months later, mum was looking at new homes for us. I thought nothing of it until my gaze automatically zoned in on the exact house I had been dreaming about for a week. Mum had listed it as a maybe but suddenly I felt it necessary to move there. If I had to start a new life somewhere, I was going to start it there.

**A/N – **Finally! I get this chapter up! - that's the first piece of good news.

-bad news: this is the end of identically opposite. The lives of the characters are moving on and this the conclusion of them...

-which brings me to piece-of-good-news#2: I'm contemplating a sequel... which will be much more centered around the vampire world – if I actually write it.

-And because I don't want to waste my time writing crap that no-one will read... I'll only write the sequel if I get ten reviews pro-sequel. =]


	22. sequel

**SEQUEL!**

**I know, I know. Its been AGES! Well, the wait is over! (yay!) **

**The new story is called polar opposites, so if you want to hop on over to my profile then have a little browse through my stories I'm sure you could find something that catches your eye. *Wink wink* **

**Sorry its taken so long guys but it has been hell trying to get this chappy out for you. I just didn't know how to start it! **

**Oh well, have fun with the reading!**

**xxx**


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